Method manufacturing for a winding assembly of a rotating electrical machine

ABSTRACT

There are proposed a manufacturing method of a winding assembly of a rotating electrical machine using a rotation block and a fixed block and a manufacturing apparatus used for the same. The rotation block includes a rotation surface rotatable around a rotation axis, and the fixed block includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other and a shaping surface. The shaping surface is formed between end parts of the first and the second surfaces, is made to have an almost semicircular shape with the rotation axis as the center, and extends along the rotation axis. Plural wire rods are simultaneously fed from the first surface of the fixed block to the rotation surface of the rotation block, and the wire rods positioned on the rotation surface are bent by rotation of the rotation block.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a windingassembly of a rotating electrical machine used for a vehicle ACgenerator mounted in a vehicle such as, for example, a passenger car ora truck, and a manufacturing apparatus for the winding assembly.

BACKGROUND ART

The applicant of this application proposed a technique to improve themass productivity of a winding member and a winding assembly used forthis type of rotating electrical machine in JP-A-2002-176752. In thisprior art, a winding assembly of a rotating electrical machine includesplural winding combinations, and each of the winding combinations areconstructed by combining two winding members. Each of the windingmembers is wound by continuously turning a wire rod so as to have afirst straight part, a second straight part, a first turn part toconnect the first and the second straight parts at their one sides, anda second turn part to connect the first and the second straight parts atthe other sides. According to this prior art, as compared with aconventional manufacturing method of a winding member in which a numberof conductor segments are joined to each other to manufacture a windingmember, the mass productivity can be improved.

In this prior art, as shown in FIG. 8 thereof, there was proposed amanufacturing method in which a pair of plate-like winding cores areused to simultaneously and helically wind plural wire rods. Each of thepair of plate-like winding cores includes plural projections to restrictthe plural wire rods at the outer periphery. By the method of using theplate-like winding cores, plural wire rods, for example, twelve wirerods are wound around the pair of plate-like winding cores and aresequentially folded, so that for example, twelve winding members can besimultaneously wound.

However, in the plate-like winding cores disclosed in this prior art,since the width between the plural projections provided at one side ofthe outer periphery and the plural projections provided at the otherside is fixed, and the lengths of the first and the second straightparts are fixed by the width, it is difficult to change the lengths ofthe first and the second straight parts. In order to change the lengthsof the first and the second straight parts, although plate-like windingcores with different widths are prepared, the change of the lengths ofthe first and the second straight parts is nevertheless limited.

In order to improve this disadvantage, the present applicant proposed animproved prior invention. This improved prior invention will be simplycalled the prior invention. An application for this prior invention wasfiled in Japan on Sep. 4, 2002 as Japanese Patent Application No.2002-259136, was filed in the United States on Feb. 6, 2003 as U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/359,095, was filed in Germany on Jun. 5,2003 as German Patent Application No. 10325617.2, and was filed inFrance on Jul. 4, 2003 as French Patent Application No. 0350297.

In this prior invention, a center shaft and a forming roller rotatingaround the center shaft are disposed on a turn plane, a wire rod is putin a forming gap between the center shaft and the forming roller, andthe forming roller is rotated around the center shaft, so that the rodwire is turned.

In this prior invention, when the wire rod is supplied to the forminggap by a wire rod feed mechanism, since the lengths of the first and thesecond straight parts are set on the basis of the feed amount, thelengths of the first and the second straight parts can be easily changedby adjusting the feed amount.

However, this prior invention is for winding a relatively small numberof, for example, one or two wire rods. In a winding assembly of arotating electrical machine which requires more winding members, afterthe winding step is ended, a step of mutually weaving the wound windingmembers is indispensable. Further, since the number of winding memberswound at one winding step is small, in order to mutually weave morewinding members at the weaving step, the number of times of weaving isrequired to be made large, the work time of the weaving step becomeslong, and the work efficiency is low.

Besides, in the prior invention, an push-out member is used in order tosuccessively push out the winding member wound on the turn plane fromthe turn plane. However, the extrusion by the push-out member isrequired to be performed by specially providing the push-out step afterthe turn step of the wire rod on the turn plane is ended, and the wholework time of the winding step becomes long by this push-out step, andthe work efficiency becomes low.

Further, in the prior invention, in the case where lead wires are formedfor plural winding members of the winding assembly, after the windingstep of the winding assembly, it is necessary to provide an operation ofjoining the special lead wires to places of the wiring members where thelead wires are required.

A first object of this invention is to propose a new improvedmanufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotating electricalmachine in which the problems of the prior art are improved, and theweaving step in the prior invention is made unnecessary, or even if theweaving step is performed, the number of times of weaving at the weavingstep can be decreased.

Besides, a second object of this invention is to propose a new improvedmanufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotating electricalmachine in which the problems of the prior art are improved, the weavingstep of the prior invention is made unnecessary, or the number of timesof weaving at the weaving step is decreased, and the push-out step bythe push-out member in the prior invention is made unnecessary.

Besides, a third object of this invention is to propose a new improvedmanufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotating electricalmachine in which the problems of the prior art are improved, and thenumber of times of weaving in the prior invention is made unnecessary,or the number of times of weaving at the weaving step is decreased, andfurther, formation of the lead wire in the prior invention is performedin a winding step.

Further, a fourth object of the invention is to propose a new improvedmanufacturing apparatus for a winding assembly of a rotating electricalmachine which can be used for at least the manufacturing method for thewinding assembly of the rotating electrical machine corresponding to thefirst object.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A manufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotating electricalmachine according to this invention and corresponding to the firstobject is a manufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine including a winding step of winding respectivewinding members so that each of the plural winding members has a firststraight part, a second straight part, a first turn part connecting thefirst straight part and the second straight part at their one sides, anda second turn part connecting the first straight part and the secondstraight part at the other sides. At the winding step, a rotation blockand a fixed block are used, the rotation block includes a rotationsurface rotatable around a rotation axis, the fixed block includes afirst and a second surfaces opposite to each other and a shaping surfaceformed between end parts of the first surface and the second surface,and the shaping surface is made to have a substantial semicircular shapewith the rotation axis as a center and is extended in a direction of therotation axis.

The winding step includes a first and a second wire rod feed steps, anda first and a second wire rod turn steps. At the first and the secondwire rod feed steps, plural wire rods are supplied such that in a statewhere they are arranged substantially in parallel to each other, thewire rods extend from the first surface of the fixed block onto therotation surface of the rotation block and project by a predetermineddimension from the rotation axis, and consequently, lengths of the firstand the second straight parts are respectively set. Besides, at thefirst and the second wire rod turn steps, the plural wire rods on therotation surface of the rotation block, together with the rotationblock, are rotated, so that the plural wire rods are simultaneously bentalong the shaping surface, and the first and the second turn parts arerespectively formed.

In the manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention and corresponding to thefirst object, the rotation block and the fixed block are used, and atthe first and the second wire rod feed steps, the plural wire rods aresupplied such that in the state where they are arranged substantially inparallel to each other, the wire rods extend from the first surface ofthe fixed block onto the rotation surface of the rotation block andproject from the rotation axis by the predetermined dimension, andconsequently, the lengths of the first and the second straight parts areset. Thus, it is unnecessary to use a plate-like winding core unlike theprior art, and with respect to the lengths of the first and the secondstraight parts, the lengths of the first and the second straight partscan be easily changed by adjusting the feed amount of the plural wirerods at the first and the second wire rod feed steps. Besides, at thefirst and the second wire rod turn steps, the plural wire rods on therotation surface of the rotation block, together with the rotationblock, are rotated, so that the plural wire rods are simultaneously bentalong the shaping surface, and the first and the second turn parts arerespectively formed. However, the rotation block includes the rotationsurface rotatable around the rotation axis, the fixed block includes thefirst surface and the second surface opposite to each other and theshaping surface formed between the end parts of the first surface andthe second surface, and the shaping surface is made to have thesubstantial semicircular shape with the rotation axis as the center andis extended along the rotation axis. Thus, as compared with the priorinvention, more winding members can be more certainly and simultaneouslywound, and the weaving step as in the prior invention is madeunnecessary, or the number of times of weaving can be decreased.

Besides, a manufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention and corresponding to thesecond object is a manufacturing method for a winding assembly of arotating electrical machine including a winding step of windingrespective winding members so that each of the plural winding membershas a first straight part, a second straight part, a first turn partconnecting the first straight part and the second straight part at theirone sides, and a second turn part connecting the first straight part andthe second straight part at the other sides, and at the winding step, arotation block and a fixed block are used. The rotation block includes arotation surface rotatable around a rotation axis, the fixed blockincludes a first and a second surfaces opposite to each other and ashaping surface formed between end parts of the first surface and thesecond surface, and the shaping surface is made to have a substantialsemicircular shape with the rotation axis as a center and is extended ina direction of the rotation axis. The winding step includes a first anda second wire rod feed steps, and a first and a second wire rod turnsteps. At the first and the second wire rod feed steps, plural wire rodsare supplied such that in a state where they are arranged substantiallyin parallel to each other, they extend from the first surface of thefixed block onto the rotation surface of the rotation block along asupply path inclined by a predetermined angle α with respect to therotation axis and project by a predetermined dimension from the rotationaxis, and consequently, lengths of the first and the second straightparts are respectively set. Besides, at the first and the second wirerod turn steps, the plural wire rods on the rotation surface of therotation block, together with the rotation block, are rotated, so thatthe plural wire rods are simultaneously bent along the shaping surface,and the first and the second turn parts are respectively formed.

In the manufacturing method of the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention and corresponding to thesecond object, in addition to the effects of the manufacturing methodfor the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machine according tothis invention and corresponding to the first object, at the first andthe second wire rod feed steps, the plural wire rods are supplied suchthat in the state where they are arranged substantially in parallel toeach other, they extend from the first surface of the fixed block ontothe rotation surface of the rotation block along the supply pathinclined by the predetermined angle α with respect to the rotation axisand project from the rotation axis by the predetermined dimension, andconsequently, the lengths of the first and the second straight parts areset, and at the subsequent first and the second wire rod turn steps, theplural wire rods are simultaneously bent along the shaping surface, andthe first and the second turn parts are formed. Thus, at the first andthe second wire rod turn steps, the plural wire rods are bent, so thatthe plural wire rods are fed along the rotation axis, and an push-outstep by a special push-out member becomes unnecessary, and theefficiency of the winding step of the winding assembly can be improved.

Besides, a manufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention and corresponding to thethird object is a manufacturing method for a winding assembly of arotating electrical machine including a winding step of windingrespective winding members so that each of the plural winding membershas a first straight part, a second straight part, a first turn partconnecting the first straight part and the second straight part at theirone sides, and a second turn part connecting the first straight part andthe second straight part at the other sides. At the winding step, arotation block, a fixed block and a wire rod feed mechanism are used.The rotation block includes a rotation surface rotatable around arotation axis between an original position and a rotation position, thefixed block includes a first and a second surfaces opposite to eachother and a shaping surface formed between end parts of the firstsurface and the second surface, the shaping surface is made to have asubstantail semicircular shape with the rotation axis as a center and isextended in a direction of the rotation axis, and the wire rod feedmechanism is constructed to supply the plural wire rods, in a statewhere they are arranged substantially in parallel to each other, along asupply path inclined by a predetermined angle α with respect to therotation axis. At the winding step, a first wire rod feed step, a firstwire rod turn step, a second wire rod feed step, and a second wire rodturn step are performed in this order. At the first and the second wirerod feed steps, the rotation surface of the rotation block is at theoriginal position, and the wire rod feed mechanism supplies the pluralwire rods so that they extend from the first surface of the fixed blockonto the rotation surface of the rotation block and project from therotation axis by a predetermined dimension, and consequently, lengths ofthe first and the second straight parts are set. Besides, at the firstand the second wire rod turn steps, by a first rotation movement inwhich the rotation surface of the rotation block rotates around therotation axis from the original position to the rotation position in apredetermined direction, the plural wire rods are simultaneously bentalong the shaping surface, and the first and the second turn parts areformed, and after the first and the second turn parts are formed, therotation surface of the rotation block is returned to the originalposition by a second rotation movement in which the rotation block isrotated reversely to the first rotation movement. The winding stepincludes a lead wire preparation step between the first wire rod feedstep and the next first wire rod turn step, this lead wire preparationstep includes a cut step of cutting at least one wire rod selected fromthe plural wire rods between the fixed block and the wire rod feedmechanism, and a cut end part of the cut wire rod is bent at the nextfirst wire rod turn step by the rotation of the rotation block in astate where it projects more than the other wire rods.

In a manufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention and corresponding to thethird object, in addition to the effects of the manufacturing method forthe wiring assembly of the rotating electrical machine according to thisinvention and corresponding to the first object, the winding stepincludes the lead wire preparation step between the first wire rod feedstep and the next first wire rod turn step, the lead wire preparationstep includes the cut step of cutting at least one wire rod selectedfrom the plural wire rods between the fixed block and the wire rod feedmechanism, the cut end part of the cut wire rod is bent by the rotationof the rotation block at the next first wire rod turn step in the statewhere it projects more than the other wire rods, and accordingly, theformation of the lead wire can be performed in the winding step, and thework efficiency can be further improved.

A manufacturing apparatus of a winding assembly of a rotating electricalmachine according to this invention and corresponding to the fourthobject is a manufacturing apparatus of a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine used in a winding step of winding respective windingmembers so that each of the plural winding members has plural firststraight parts, plural second straight parts, first turn partsconnecting the first straight parts and the second straight parts attheir one sides, and second turn parts connecting the first straightparts and the second straight parts at the other sides, and includes arotation block, a fixed block and a wire rod feed mechanism. Therotation block includes a rotation surface rotatable around a rotationaxis, the fixed block includes a first and a second surfaces opposite toeach other and a shaping surface formed between end parts of the firstsurface and the second surface, the shaping surface is made to have asubstantial semicircular shape with the rotation axis as a center and isextended in a direction of the rotation axis, and the wire rod feedmechanism is constructed to supply plural wire rods in a state wherethey are arranged substantially in parallel to each other. The windingstep includes a first and a second wire rod feed steps, and a first anda second wire rod turn steps. At the first and the second wire rod feedsteps, the wire rod feed mechanism supplies the plural wire rods suchthat in a state where they are arranged substantially in parallel toeach other, these wire rods extend from the first surface of the fixedblock onto the rotation surface of the rotation block and project by apredetermined dimension from the rotation axis, and consequently,lengths of the first and the second straight parts of the plural wirerods are respectively set. Besides, at the first and the second wire rodturn steps, the plural wire rods on the rotation surface of the rotationblock, together with the rotation block, are rotated, so that the pluralwire rods are simultaneously bent along the shaping surface, and thefirst and the second turn parts are respectively formed.

According to the manufacturing apparatus for the winding assembly of therotating electrical machine according to the invention and correspondingto the fourth object, the plate-like winding core of the prior art isnot used, and while adjustment of the lengths of the first and thesecond straight parts is easily performed, the plural winding memberscan be simultaneously wound. Besides, by using the rotation block andthe fixed block, more wire rods can be simultaneously bent as comparedwith the prior invention, and accordingly, the weaving step of the priorinvention is made unnecessary, or the number of times of weaving can bedecreased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a developed view of a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine manufactured by this invention,

FIG. 2 is a developed view of a winding member in the winding assemblyof the rotating electrical machine manufactured by this invention,

FIG. 3 is a developed view of a winding combination of a rotatingelectrical machine manufactured by this invention, and

FIG. 4 shows a main part of a manufacturing apparatus used formanufacturing the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machineaccording to this invention, in which FIG. 4( a) is a plan view and FIG.4( b) is a side view.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a first wire rod feed step of a winding step inembodiment 1 relating to a manufacturing method for the winding assemblyof the rotating electrical machine according to this invention, in whichFIG. 5( a) and FIG. 6( a) are plan views, and FIG. 5( b) and FIG. 6( b)are side views.

FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show a first wire rod turn step of the windingstep in embodiment 1, in which FIG. 7( a), FIG. 8( a) and FIG. 9( a) areplan views, and FIG. 7( b), FIG. 8( b) and FIG. 9( b) are side views.

FIG. 10 shows a second wire rod feed step of the winding step inembodiment 1, in which FIG. 10( a) is a plan view, and FIG. 10( b) is aside view.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing the winding assembly manufactured in thewinding step of embodiment 1.

FIG. 12 shows one winding member in the winding assembly of FIG. 11, inwhich FIG. 12( a) is a front view, and FIG. 12( b) is a side view.

FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are explanatory views of a displacement step inembodiment 1, and

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view of the displacement step and a pressstep, in which FIG. 15( a) is an explanatory view of the displacementstep, and FIG. 15( b) is an explanatory view of the press step.

FIG. 16 shows a lead wire preparation step of embodiment 2 relating to amanufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotating electricalmachine according to this invention, in which FIG. 16( a) is a planview, and FIG. 16( b) is a side view.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory view of forward rotation driving of a rotationblock in embodiment 2, in which FIG. 17( a) is a plan view, and FIG. 17(b) is a side view.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory view of the end of the forward rotationdriving of the rotation block in embodiment 2, in which FIG. 18( a) is aplan view, and FIG. 18( b) is a side view.

FIG. 19 is a detailed explanatory view of an avoidance return operationof the rotation block in embodiment 2, in which FIG. 19( a) is anexplanatory view of a first upward movement of the rotation block, FIG.19( b) is an explanatory view of a backward operation, a counterrotation movement, a downward movement, and a forward movement of therotation block, and FIG. 19( c) is an explanatory view of a secondupward movement of the rotation block.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a winding step in embodiment 2.

FIG. 21 shows a lead wire formation step of a winding step in embodiment3 relating to a manufacturing method for a winding assembly of arotating electrical machine according to this invention, in which FIG.21( a) is a plan view, and FIG. 21( b) is a side view.

FIG. 22 is a detailed explanatory view of an avoidance return operationof a rotation block in embodiment 3, in which FIG. 22( a) is anexplanatory view of a first upward movement of the rotation block, FIG.22( b) is an explanatory view of a backward operation, a counterrotation movement, a downward movement, and a forward movement of therotation block, and FIG. 22( c) is an explanatory view of a secondupward movement of the rotation block.

FIG. 23 and FIG. 24 show a wire rod turn step of a winding start endpart of a winding step in embodiment 4 relating to a manufacturingmethod for a winding assembly of a rotating electrical machine accordingto this invention, in which FIG. 23( a) and FIG. 24( a) are plan views,and FIG. 23( b) and FIG. 24( b) are side views.

FIG. 25 shows a winding turn step of a winding finish end part of thewinding step in embodiment 4, in which FIG. 25( a) is a plan view, andFIG. 25( b) is a side view.

FIG. 26 is a front view showing an example of the winding assembly ofthe rotating electrical machine manufactured by embodiment 4 relating tothe manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention,

FIG. 27 is a front view showing another example of the winding assemblyof the rotating electrical machine manufactured by embodiment 4 relatingto the manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention,

FIG. 28 is a perspective view showing a stator of a rotating electricalmachine in which the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machineaccording to this invention is mounted,

FIG. 29 is a sectional view showing an example of a rotating electricalmachine using the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machineaccording to this invention.

FIG. 30 is a plan view showing a main part of embodiment 5 relating to amanufacturing apparatus used for manufacturing a winding assembly of arotating electrical machine according to this invention,

FIG. 31 is a front view showing a main part of FIG. 30,

FIG. 32 is a side view showing a main part of embodiment 5, and

FIG. 33 is an enlarged front view of the main part of embodiment 5.

FIG. 34 is a plan view showing the whole structure of the manufacturingapparatus of embodiment 5,

FIG. 35 is a front view showing the whole structure of the manufacturingapparatus of embodiment 5, FIG. 35 a is a front view showing a wire rodfeed mechanism of the manufacturing apparatus of embodiment 5, and

FIG. 36 is a side view showing the whole structure of the manufacturingapparatus of embodiment 5, and FIG. 36 a is a front view of a tip partof a pusher of a selected wire rod push-out mechanism.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Description of a Winding Memberand a Winding Assembly of a Rotating Electrical Machine

Before a description is given to embodiments of a manufacturing methodfor a winding assembly of a rotating electrical machine according tothis invention and a manufacturing apparatus for the winding assembly ofthe rotating electrical machine, a description will be given to thewinding assembly of the rotating electrical machine manufactured by thisinvention and a winding member included therein.

FIG. 1 is a developed view of a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine manufactured by a manufacturing method for a windingassembly of a rotating electrical machine according this invention, FIG.2 is perspective view showing a part of one winding member in thewinding assembly shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective viewshowing a part of one winding combination in the winding assembly shownin FIG. 1.

A winding assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes plural windingcombinations 12, and specifically includes, for example, six windingcombinations 12A to 12F. Each of the winding combinations 12A to 12F ishelical and continuous from the left end to the right end of FIG. 1.Each of the winding combinations 12 is constructed by combining pluralwinding members 15 as shown in FIG. 3, and is specifically constructedby combining two winding members 151 and 152. Each of the windingmembers 15 is constructed by winding one insulating wire rod helicallyas shown in FIG. 2. Since the winding assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1includes the six winding combinations 12, and each of the windingcombinations 12 includes the two winding members 15, the twelve windingmembers 15 in total are included. The wire rod used in this windingmember is a long member of conductive material such as a copper wiresubjected to insulating coating, for example, a conductive member havinga circular section and covered with an enamel coating. However, a coatedwire rod having a rectangular section can also be used.

In the developed state shown in FIG. 2, each of the winding members 15includes plural first straight parts 15A positioned on a first plane,plural second straight parts 15B positioned on a second plane, pluralfirst turn parts 15C, and plural second turn parts 15D, and isconstructed by winding one insulating wire rod so that these arecontinuous with each other. The first plane on which the plural firststraight parts 15A are positioned and the second plane on which theplural second straight parts 15B are positioned are opposite to eachother with a slight gap and are parallel to each other. Each of theplural first straight parts 15A includes a first parallel straight part15 a 1 parallel to each other, and includes two inclined parts 15 a 2and 15 a 3 bent from the first parallel straight part 15 a 1. Each ofthe inclined parts 15 a 2 is positioned at the upper side of the windingmember 15, and each of the inclined parts 15 a 3 is positioned at thelower side. When the length of the first parallel straight part 15 a 1is L1, and the length of each of the two inclined parts 15 a 2 and 15 a3 is L2, the length L of the first straight part 15A becomes L=L1+2L2.

Each of the plural second straight parts 15B includes a second parallelstraight part 15 b 1 parallel to each other, and includes two inclinedparts 15 b 2 and 15 b 3 bent from the second parallel straight part 15 b1. Each of the inclined parts 15 b 2 is positioned at the upper side ofthe winding member 15 in FIG. 2, and each of the inclined parts 15 b 3is positioned at the lower side. The length of the second parallelstraight part 15 b 1 is L1 equal to that of the first parallel straightpart 15 a 1, and the length of each of the inclined parts 15 b 2 and 15b 3 is L2 equal to that of the inclined parts 15 a 2 and 15 a 3.Accordingly, the length L of the second straight part 21B is also equalto the length L of the first straight part 21A.

The interval between the adjacent two first parallel straight parts 15 a1, and the interval between the adjacent two second parallel straightparts 15 b 1 are equal to each other, and is made, for example, 2P.Besides, each of the second parallel straight parts 15 b 1 is arrangedto be parallel to each of the first parallel straight parts 15 a 1, andis positioned just at the midpoint of the adjacent two parallel straightparts 15 a 1. As a result, the interval between the adjacent firstparallel straight part 15 a 1 and the second parallel straight part 15 b1 is P.

The plural first turn parts 15C are positioned at the upper side of thewinding member 15 in FIG. 2, and the plural second turn parts 15D arepositioned at the lower side thereof. Each of the plural first turnparts 15C connects each of the first straight parts 15A and the secondstraight part 15B adjacent thereto at its one side between the firstplane and the second plane. In detail, each of the first turn parts 15Cconnects the inclined part 15 a 2 bent from each of the first parallelstraight parts 15 a 1 and the inclined part 15 b 2 bent from each of thesecond parallel straight parts 15 b 1 adjacent thereto at one side ofthe first parallel straight part 15 a 1 between the first plane and thesecond plane.

Each of the plural second turn parts 15D connects each of the firststraight parts 15A and each of the second straight parts 15B adjacentthereto at the other side between the first plane and the second plane.In detail, each of the second turn parts 15D connects the inclined part15 a 3 bent from each of the first parallel straight parts 15 a 1 andthe inclined part 15 b 3 bent from the second parallel straight part 15b 1 adjacent thereto at the other side between the first plane and thesecond plane.

The winding combination 12 is constructed as shown in FIG. 3, and eachof the winding combinations 12A to 12F constituting the winding assembly10 shown in FIG. 1 is constructed as shown in FIG. 3. Of course, FIG. 3also shows a developed state. The winding combination 12 is formed bycombining two winding members 151 and 152. In the winding combination 12developed and shown in FIG. 3, the first parallel straight part 15 a 1of the winding member 151 is overlapped on the second parallel straightpart 15 b 1 of the other winding member 152, and the second parallelstraight part 15 b 1 of the winding member 151 is overlapped under thefirst parallel straight part 15 a 1 of the other winding member 152.

The winding assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted to plural slotsformed at predetermined intervals on the inner periphery of a statoriron core formed into a cylindrical shape. In the state where it ismounted to the stator iron core, although the whole of the windingassembly 10 also becomes cylindrical, in FIG. 1, this is developed onone plane and is shown. In the state where it is mounted to the statoriron core, the first parallel straight part 15 a 1 of the winding member151 is inserted in one slot, and the second parallel straight part 15 b1 of the winding member 152 is overlapped thereunder and is inserted. Inanother slot spaced apart from this slot by a distance equal to thepitch P, the second parallel straight part 15 b 1 of the winding member151 and the first parallel straight part 15 a 1 of the winding member152 overlapped thereon are inserted.

Description of Embodiments Relating to the Invention of a ManufacturingMethod for a Winding Assembly 10 of a Rotating Electrical MachineEmbodiment 1

Embodiment 1 relating to the manufacturing method for the windingassembly 10 of the rotating electrical machine according to thisinvention will be described.

The manufacturing method for the winding assembly 10 according to thisinvention is carried out in the order of a winding step, a displacementstep, a press step and an insertion step. First, the winding step of thewinding assembly 10 according to this invention will be described, andthen, the displacement step, the press step, and the insertion step willbe described.

Main Structure of a Manufacturing Apparatus 20 Used

The main structure of the manufacturing apparatus 20 used in the windingstep of embodiment 1 is shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4( a) is a plan viewthereof, and FIG. 4( b) is a side view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 4( a)and 4(b), this manufacturing apparatus 20 includes a turn mechanism 30and a wire rod feed mechanism 60, and simultaneously and helically windsall twelve winding members 15 constituting the winding assembly 10.Since the winding assembly 10 includes the six winding combinations 12Ato 12F, and each of the winding combinations 12A to 12F includes the twowinding members 15, twelve winding members 15 in total are included, andthese twelve winding members 15 are simultaneously wound.

The turn mechanism 30 includes a rotator 31, a rotation block 33, afixed block 40, and an auxiliary block 50. The turn mechanism 30includes a rotation driving mechanism 32 for rotation-driving therotator 31, and the rotator 31 is intermittently rotation-driven by thisrotation driving mechanism 32 around an rotation axis L-L in directionsof arrows A1 and A2. The rotation in the arrow A1 direction will becalled forward rotation, and the rotation in the arrow A2 direction willbe called counter rotation. The rotation block 33 is arranged at oneside of the rotator 31 so as to be rotated together with a coupling body34, the rotation block 33 is rotated at one side of the rotator 31, anda rotation space 35 is formed at the one side of this rotator 31. Therotation block 33 includes a rotation surface 36 facing the rotationspace 35 at its upper plane, and this rotation surface 36 is formed tobe plane. In FIGS. 4( a) and 4(b), the rotation block 33 is shown at itsoriginal position, and at this original position, the rotation surface36 exists on a first reference surface E-E horizontally extending towardthe left direction from a position slightly lower than the rotation axisL-L.

Twelve wire rods constituting the winding assembly 10 are supplied onsupply lines SL of the twelve wire rods. The supply lines SL of thetwelve wire rods are set to be parallel to each other and at equalintervals. As shown in FIG. 4( a), the supply lines SL of these wirerods are set in a direction inclined by a predetermined inclinationangle α with respect to the rotation axis L-L. This inclination angle αis set to be, for example, 60 degrees. Besides, as shown in FIG. 4( b),the supply lines SL of these wire rods are set on a plane slightly lowerthan the first reference plane E-E and parallel to the first referenceplane E-E.

Twelve guide grooves 37 for guiding the twelve wire rods are formed inparallel to each other on the rotation surface 36 of the rotation block33. The guide grooves 37 are formed to be parallel to the supply linesSL of the twelve wire rods. Accordingly, the guide grooves 37 on therotation surface 36 are also formed to be inclined by the inclinationangle α with respect to the rotation axis L-L. An arc surface 38 isformed at an inner end part of the rotation surface 36 positioned nearthe rotation axis L-L. The respective guide grooves 37 are opened upwardat the time when the rotation block 33 exists at the original position.The bottom surface of each of the guide grooves 37 exists on the planeincluding the supply lines SL of the wire rods at the time when therotation block 33 exists at the original position.

The turn mechanism 30 includes a reciprocal movement mechanism 39 toreciprocate the rotator 31 and the rotation block 33 along the rotationaxis L-L, and the rotator 31 is driven by the reciprocal movementmechanism 39 to intermittently perform a reciprocate movement along therotation axis L-L in directions of arrows B1 and B2. The reciprocalmovement of the rotation block 33 by this reciprocal movement mechanism39 will be called a slight forward movement FD0 and a slight backwardmovement BK0.

The fixed block 40 is fixed in the rotation space 35 by a not-shownfixing stand. This fixed block 40 includes a first surface 41 and asecond surface 42 opposite to each other and parallel to each other.Both the first surface 41 and the second surface 42 are formed to beplane. The first surface 41 of the fixed block 40 extends toward theright direction and in the horizontal direction on the plane includingthe supply lines SL of the wire rods from slightly below the rotationaxis L-L. The twelve guide grooves 43 extending in parallel to thesupply lines SL of the respective wire rods are formed on the firstsurface 41. The respective guide grooves 43 are opened downward. Theupper bottom surfaces of the respective guide grooves 43 are positionedon the first reference surface E-E. The second surface 42 of the fixedblock 40 extends horizontally toward the right direction from slightlyabove the rotation axis L-L, and forms a second reference surface F-Fparallel to the first reference surface E-E.

A shaping surface 44 is formed at the end parts of the first surface 41and the second surface 42 on the side of the rotation axis L-L. Theshaping surface 44 is formed to have a semicircular shape with therotation axis L-L as the center, and the semicircular surface of theshaping surface 44 is expanded toward the rotation surface 36. Theshaping surface 44 exists between the first surface 41 and the secondsurface 42, and is specifically formed between the first referencesurface E-E on which the upper bottoms of the respective guide grooves43 are positioned and the second reference plane F-F formed of thesecond surface 42. This shaping surface 44 is extended along therotation axis L-L, the whole portion in the extension direction isopposite to the arc surface 38 of the rotation block 33, and a gap 45 isformed therebetween. The diameter of the semicircular shape of theshaping surface 44 is d1, and the gap length of the gap 45 in thediameter direction is smaller than the depths of the guide grooves 37and 43. Although the shaping surface 44 is formed into the semicircularshape with the rotation axis L-L as the center, it is not necessarilyrequired to have the accurate semicircular shape, and it is sufficientif the shaping surface is formed to have a substantial semicircularshape with the rotation axis L-L as the center.

The rotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33 is aligned with thefirst surface 41 of the fixed block 40 at the original position shown inFIGS. 4( a) and 4(b). In this alignment state, the rotation surface 36and the upper bottom surfaces of the respective guide grooves 43 of thefixed block 40 are aligned on the first reference surface E-E, and thelower bottom surfaces of the respective guide grooves 37 of the rotationsurface 36 and the first surface 41 of the rotation block 40 are alignedon the plane including the supply lines SL of the wire rods.

When the rotation block 33 performs the forward rotation operation fromthe original position shown in FIG. 4, that is, is rotation-driven inthe arrow A1 direction, the twelve wire rods in the guide grooves 37 onthe rotation surface 36 are rotated in the arrow A1 direction by therotation surface 36. In the forward rotation operation of the rotationblock 33, the rotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33 becomesalmost parallel to the second surface 42 of the fixed block 40, therotation block 33 is rotated to the position where the plural wire rodsare pressed to the second reference surface F-F of the second surface42, and the twelve wire rods are bent along the shaping surface 44around the rotation axis L-L. The rotation block 33 is returned to theoriginal position by the counter rotation operation, that is, therotation in the arrow A2 direction.

The auxiliary block 50 is positioned at a position opposite to the firstsurface 41 of the fixed block 40. This auxiliary block 46 includes anauxiliary surface 51 formed to be plane, and the auxiliary surface 51 isin contact with the first surface 41 of the fixed block 40 or in a stateclose thereto. The auxiliary surface 51 of the auxiliary block 50prevents the wire rods in the respective guide grooves 43 of the firstsurface 41 from outgoing from the respective guide grooves 43, and holdsthe respective wire rods in the respective guide grooves 43. Theauxiliary block 50 includes an inclined surface 52 at a lower corner onthe rotation axis L-L side. This inclined surface 52 has a shapeobtained by obliquely cutting the lower corner of the auxiliary block 50on the rotation axis L-L side.

The wire rod feed mechanism 60 includes a pair of feed blocks 61 and 62,and these feed blocks 61 and 62 are arranged so that the supply lines SLfor the wire rods may be nipped therebetween. The feed block 61 is madeof a material having elasticity, guide grooves 63 for guiding the twelvewire rods in parallel to the supply lines SL are formed on the uppersurface of the feed block 62, and the upper surface of the feed block 62is opposite to the feed block 61. A press mechanism 64 to press the feedblock 62 in the direction toward the feed block 61 is attached to thefeed block 62, and when it is pressed to the feed block 61 by the pressmechanism 64, the twelve wire rods are nipped and held between the feedblocks 61 and 62. Besides, a feed drive mechanism 65 is attached to thewire rod feed mechanism 60, and when the wire rods are fed along thesupply lines SL, in a state where the twelve wire rods are nipped andheld between the pair of feed blocks 61 and 62, the twelve wire rods aresupplied along the supply lines SL for the wire rods by the feed drivemechanism 65 from the illustrated original position toward an arrow C1direction. When the supply of the wire rods is ended, the feed blocks 61and 62 move in an arrow C2 direction and are returned to the originalposition. When they are returned in the arrow C2 direction, the holdingof the wire rods between the feed blocks 61 and 62 is released, andwhile sliding on the wire rods, they are returned to the originalposition.

A feed amount setting mechanism 66 is attached to the feed drivemechanism 65 of the wire rod feed mechanism 60. This feed amount settingmechanism 66 sets a wire rod feed length L in the arrow C1 direction.The wire rod feed length L is equal to the length L of the first and thesecond straight parts 15A and 15B of the winding member 15 shown in FIG.2, and is equal to the sum of the length L1 of the first and the secondparallel straight parts 15 a 1 and 15 b 1 and the length L2 of thesecond and the third inclined parts 15 a 2, 15 a 3, 15 b 2 and 15 b 3.

Detailed Description of the Winding Step

FIGS. 5 to 10 show the winding step of the winding assembly 10 accordingto the invention in order of steps. The winding step of the windingassembly 10 will be described in detail with reference to thesedrawings. The respective drawings (a) of FIGS. 5 to 10 are plan views,and the respective drawings (b) are side views. Since this winding stepbasically repeats a first wire rod feed step S1, a first wire rod turnstep S2, a second wire rod feed step S3, and a second wire rod turn stepS4 in this order, the respective steps S1, S2, S3 and S4 will bedescribed in detail.

-   (1) Description of the First Wire Rod Feed Step S1 (See FIGS. 5 and    6)

At the first wire rod feed step S1, the length of the first straightpart 15A is set for the twelve winding members 15 constituting thewinding assembly 10. At this step S1, the movements of the rotator 31and the rotation block 33 of the manufacturing apparatus 20 are stopped,and the rotation block 33 is at the original position shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). At the original position of the rotation block 33, asdescribed before, the rotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33 ispositioned on the first reference surface E-E, the first surface 41 ofthe fixed block 40 is positioned at the supply lines SL for the wirerods 25, the guide grooves 37 of the rotation surface 36 and the guidegrooves 43 of the first surface 41 are aligned along the supply lines SLfor the respective wire rods, and the twelve wire rods 25 are suppliedon the supply lines by the wire rod feed mechanism 60. In this state, inthe wire rod feed mechanism 60, the feed block 62 is pressed to the feedblock 61 by the press mechanism 64, and the twelve wire rods 25 arenipped and held between the feed blocks 61 and 62.

In the state where the feed blocks 61 and 62 hold the wire rods 25, thewire rod feed mechanism 60 drives the feed blocks 61 and 62 along thesupply lines SL for the respective wire rods in the arrow C1 directionby the feed drive mechanism 65. By the driving of the feed mechanism 60in the arrow C1 direction, the twelve wire rods 25 are simultaneouslysupplied in parallel to each other by the wire rod feed length L set bythe feed amount setting mechanism 66. The wire rods 25 are fed on thesupply lines SL for the wire rods to the guide grooves 43 of the firstsurface 41 of the fixed block 40, and are further horizontally suppliedto reach the guide grooves 37 of the rotation surface 36 of the rotationblock 33. The twelve wire rods 25 are supplied on the respective supplylines SL with the inclination angle α with respect to the rotation axisL-L. The twelve wire rods 25 are supplied through the state of FIG. 5 toa position shown in FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b). In the state shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), the leading edge parts of the twelve wire rods 25 are fedto a position where they move forward in the left direction by thelength L from the rotation axis L-L, and the length L for the firststraight part 15A is set. The feeding of the wire rods 25 by the feedmechanism 60 is stopped in the state of FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b). At the endof the wire rod feed step shown in FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b), the feed block62 of the wire rod feed mechanism 60 is separated from the feed block61, the nipping of the wire rods 25 between the feed blocks 61 and 62 isreleased, and the feed blocks 61 and 62 are driven in the arrow C2direction in this state and are returned to the original position. Whenthe feed blocks 61 and 62 are moved in the arrow C2 direction, thenipping of the wire rods 25 between the feed blocks 61 and 62 isreleased, and accordingly, the feed blocks 61 and 62 are returned to theoriginal position while sliding on the wire rods 25. Incidentally, thestate shown in FIGS. 5( a) and 5(b) is the state in the middle of thetransition to the state shown in FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b).

-   (2) Description of the First Wire Rod Turn Step S2 (See FIGS. 7 and    8)

This first wire rod turn step S2 is the step of simultaneously bendingthe twelve wire rods 25 subsequently to the first wire rod feed step S1,and at this first wire rod turn step S2, one first straight part 15A andone first turn part 15C continuous therewith are formed for each of thetwelve wire rods 25. At this first wire rod turn step S2, the movementof the wire rod feed mechanism 60 in the directions of the arrows C1 andC2 is suspended, the feed blocks 61 and 62 are in the state where theyare returned to the original position, and the respective wire rods 25are nipped and held between the feed blocks 61 and 62.

At the initial period of the first wire rod turn step S2, the forwardrotation driving FR is given to the rotator 31 and the rotation block33, and they are rotated in the arrow A1 direction. By the forwardrotation driving FR of the rotator 31 and the rotation block 33, therespective wire rods 25 on the rotation surface 36 of the rotation block33 are bent around the rotation axis L-L along the shaping surface 44 ofthe fixed block 40. At the first wire rod turn step S2, as describedbefore, since the respective wire rods 25 are nipped and held betweenthe feed blocks 61 and 62 positioned at the original position, even bythe forward rotation driving FR of the rotation block 33, the wire rodsare not moved on the supply lines SL, and with the rotation of therotation surface 36, the respective wire rods 25 are bent in theclockwise direction around the shaping surface 44. Besides, at the firstwire rod turn step S2, the auxiliary block 50 prevents the wire rods 25in the respective guide grooves 43 of the first surface 41 of the fixedblock 40 from separating from the guide grooves 43 of the first surface41 by the forward rotation driving FR of the rotation block 33. By therotation preventing action of the auxiliary block 50 to the wire rods 25on the first surface 41, the respective wire rods 25 on the firstsurface 41 are kept in the guide grooves 43 of the first surface 41, andthe wire rods 25 on the rotation surface 36 are effectively bent.Incidentally, FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b) show the halfway state of the forwardrotation driving FR of the rotation block 33.

FIGS. 8( a) and 8(b) show a state at the end of the forward rotationdriving FR of the rotation block 33. The rotation surface 36 of therotation block 33 becomes parallel to the second reference surface F-Faccording to the second surface 42 of the fixed block 40, and therespective wire rods 25 are pressed onto the second reference surfaceF-F. Since the shaping surface 44 of the fixed block 40 is constructedinto the substantial semicircular shape with the rotation axis L-L asthe center, and the forward rotation driving FR with the rotation axisL-L as the center is applied to the rotation block 33, as shown in FIGS.8( a) and 8(b), the respective wire rods 25 are bent by substantially180 degrees with respect to the rotation axis L-L. As a result of theforward rotation driving FR of the rotation block 33, as shown in FIGS.8( a) and 8(b), the first straight part 15A and the first turn part 15Ccontinuous therewith are formed for each of the wire rods 25.

At the end of the first wire rod feed step S1 shown in FIGS. 6( a) and6(b), since the respective wire rods 25 project by the wire rod feedlength L from the rotation axis L-L onto the rotation surface 36 of therotation block 33, the first straight part 15A has the length L.Besides, the respective wire rods 25 are bent along the shaping surface44 of the fixed block 40, the inner diameter of the first turn part 15Cbecomes equal to the diameter d1 of the shaping surface 43.

When the forward rotation driving FR is given to this rotation block 33,as shown in FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b), the rotation block 33 performs theslight forward movement FD0 in the arrow B1 direction by the reciprocalmovement mechanism 39 along the rotation axis L-L. This slight forwardmovement FD0 is the movement for adjusting the shape of the first turnpart 15C.

Counter rotation driving CR is given to the rotator 31 and the rotationblock 33 from the end of the forward rotation driving FR shown in FIGS.8( a) and 8(b), and they are rotated in the arrow A2 direction. By thiscounter rotation driving CR, the rotation block 33 is returned to theoriginal position shown in FIGS. 9( a) and 9(b). Together with thiscounter rotation driving CR, the rotation block 33 performs the slightbackward movement BK0 along the rotation axis L-L in the arrow B2direction shown in FIG. 9( a). The backward movement BK0 in the arrow B2direction is the movement to move the rotation block 33 backward by thedistance equal to the slight forward movement FD0 in the arrow B1direction. This slight backward movement BK0 is also the movement toadjust the shape of the first turn part 15C.

-   (3) Description of the Second Wire Rod Feed Step S3 (See FIG. 10)

This second wire rod feed step S3 is performed subsequently to the firstwire rod turn step S2. This second wire rod step S3 is the step ofsetting the length L of the second straight part 15B for each of thewire rods 25, and the respective portions of the manufacturing apparatus20 basically perform the same movement as the first wire rod feed stepS1.

Also at the second wire rod feed step S3, similarly to the first wirerod feed step S1, the rotation block 33 is at the original position andis in the state where its movement is suspended, and the wire rod feedmechanism 60 performs the movement of sending the respective wire rods25 along the respective supply lines SL. FIGS. 10( a) and 10(b) show thestate in which at the second wire rod feed step S3, the respective wirerods 25 are fed from the state shown in FIGS. 9( a) and 9(b) along thesupply lines SL by the length L. Also at the second wire rod feed stepS3, in the state where the respective wire rods 25 are nipped and heldbetween the feed blocks 61 and 62, after the wire rod feed mechanism 60feeds the respective wire rods 25 in the arrow C1 direction by the wirerod feed length L set by the feed length setting mechanism 65, in thestate where the nipping of the respective wire rods 25 between the feedblocks 61 and 62 is released, they are returned to the original positionin the arrow C2 direction, and at this original position, the respectivewire rods 25 are nipped and held between the feed blocks 61 and 62 forthe next second wire rod turn step.

At the end of the second wire rod feed step S3 shown in FIGS. 10( a) and10(b), there occurs a state in which the first turn part 15C formed atthe former first wire rod turn step S2 projects from the rotation axisL-L by the wire rod feed length L, and the length L for the secondstraight part 15B continuous with the first turn part 15C is set on therotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33.

-   (4) Description of the Second Wire Rod Turn Step S4

This second wire rod turn step S4 is the turn step of forming the secondstraight part 15B and the second turn part 15D, and the respective partsof the manufacturing apparatus 20 operate similarly to the first wirerod turn step S2. At this second wire rod turn step S4, similarly to theforegoing first wire rod turn step S2, the feeding of the wire rod 25 bythe first wire rod feed mechanism 60 is suspended, the wire rod feedmechanism 60 is at the original position and is in the state where therespective wire rods 25 are held between the feed blocks 61 and 62.Similarly to the first wire rod turn step S2, the rotator 31 and therotation block 33 are rotated until the rotation surface 36 of therotation block 33 becomes substantially parallel to the second referencesurface F-F by the forward rotation driving FR, and the second straightpart 15B and the second turn part 15D continuous therewith are formed.The rotation block 33 is given the counter rotation driving CR after theforward rotation driving FR, and is returned to the original position.When the forward rotation driving FR is given, the rotation block 33performs the slight forward movement FD0 along the rotation axis L-L inthe arrow B1 direction by the reciprocal movement mechanism 39, and whenthe counter rotation driving CR is given, it performs the slightbackward movement BK0 along the rotation axis L-L, and adjusts the shapeof the second turn part 15D.

At the end of the second wire rod feed step S3 shown in FIGS. 10( a) and10(b), since the first turn part 15C of each of the wire rods 25projects by the wire rod length L from the rotation axis L-L onto therotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33, the second straight part15B formed at the second wire rod turn step has the length L. Besides,since the respective wire rods 25 are bent along the shaping surface 44of the fixed block 40, the inner diameter of the second turn part 15Dbecomes equal to the diameter d1 of the shaping surface 44.

The above first wire rod feed step S1, the first wire rod turn step S2,the second wire rod feed step S3, and the second wire rod turn step S4are repeated in this order, so that while the first straight part 15A,the first turn part 15C, the second straight part 15B and the secondturn part 15D are sequentially formed for the twelve wire rods 25simultaneously, winding of the winding assembly 10 having a necessarynumber of turns can be performed. FIG. 11 shows the winding assembly 10at the end point of the above winding step.

As described above, at the winding step of the winding assembly 10 ofembodiment 1, a plate-like winding core as in the prior art is not used,and the length L of the first and the second straight parts 15A and 15Bof each of the winding members 15 can be set by the feed length L of thewire rod 25 at the first and the second wire rod feed steps, andaccordingly, the change and adjustment of the length L of the first andthe second straight parts 15A and 15B can be easily performed.

Besides, the rotation block 33 includes the rotation surface 36rotatable around the rotation axis L-L, the fixed block 40 includes thefirst surface 41 and the second surface 42 opposite to each other, andincludes the shaping surface 44 between the end parts of the firstsurface 41 and the second surface 42, and the shaping surface 44 is madeto have the substantial semicircular shape with the rotation axis L-L asthe center and is extended along the rotation axis L-L. Thus, more wirerods can be simultaneously supplied and can be bent. For example, in thecase where the winding assembly 10 including twelve wire rods 25 ismanufactured, the twelve wire rods 25 can be simultaneously supplied andbent, and, a weaving step as in the prior invention can be completelymade unnecessary. Besides, for example, in the case where the windingassembly 10 including twelve wire rods is manufactured, when six wirerods 25 are simultaneously supplied and bent, the winding assembly 10including the twelve winding members 15 can be constructed by weavingthe winding assemblies each including the six wire rods 25 only once,and the number of times of weaving can be decreased. In any event, theweaving step is made unnecessary, or the number of times of weaving isdecreased, so that the work efficiency of the winding step can beimproved.

Besides, since the supply lines SL of the wire rods are inclined by theinclination angle α with respect to the rotation axis L-L, at the firstand the second wire rod turn steps S2 and S4, the respective wire rods25 are bent substantially by 180 degrees with respect to the rotationaxis L-L as shown in, for example, FIGS. 8( a) and 8(b), and at the sametime as this bending, the respective wire rods 25 are consequently fedin the direction of moving away from the rotator 31 along the rotationaxis L-L. Thus, in embodiment 1, since a push-out member as in the priorinvention to push out the bent wire rod 25 becomes unnecessary, themanufacturing apparatus 20 can be simplified, and in addition, since thepush-out step by the push-out member also becomes unnecessary, the workefficiency of the winding step can be improved.

Description of the Displacement Step

Next, the displacement step carried out subsequently to the winding stepwill be described. In this displacement step, each of the six windingcombinations 12 is deformed into the hexagonal pattern shape shown inFIG. 1 and FIG. 3, and the two winding members 151 and 152 constitutingeach of the winding combinations 12 are mutually overlapped as shown inFIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 13, in the winding assembly 10, the two windingmembers 151 and 152 have such relation that just at the middle of eachof the first straight parts 15A of the one winding member 151, each ofthe second straight parts 15B of the other winding member 152 crosses.The winding assembly 10 shown in FIG. 11 includes six pairs eachincluding two winding members having the relation as shown in FIG. 13,and the six pairs of the winding members are simultaneously deformed atthe displacement step.

In this displacement step, as shown in FIG. 14, four movable members80A, 80B, 80C and 80D having plural pins are used. The movable members80A and 80B are disposed at the lower end part of the winding assembly10, and the movable members 80C and 80D are disposed at the upper endpart of the winding assembly 10. FIGS. 15( a) and 15(b) are side viewsof the winding assembly 10, each of the first straight part 15A ispositioned on the first reference surface E-E, and each of the secondstraight parts 15B is positioned on the second reference surface F-F.The movable member 80A is disposed at the lower end part of the windingassembly 10 on the first reference surface E-E side, and the movablemember 80B is disposed at the lower end side thereof on the secondreference surface F-F side. The movable member 80C is disposed at theupper end part of the winding assembly 10 on the first reference surfaceE-E side, and the movable member 80D is disposed at the upper end partthereof on the second reference surface F-F side.

The movable member 80A includes plural pins 80 a to simultaneously movelower end parts 15 ab of the first straight parts 15A of the respectivewinding members 151 and 152 in the right direction, and the movablemember 80B includes plural pins 80 b to simultaneously move lower ends15 bb of the second straight parts 15B of the respective winding members15 in the left direction. Besides, the movable member 80C includesplural pins 80 c to simultaneously move upper end parts 15 aa of thefirst straight parts 15A of the respective winding members 15 in theleft direction, and the movable member 80D includes plural pins 80 d tosimultaneously move upper end parts 15 ba of the second straight parts15B of the respective winding members 15 in the right direction.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show the movement of these movable members 80A to 80D.In these drawings, the movable member 80A is moved in the rightdirection, and the lower end parts 15 ab of the respective firststraight parts 15A are moved toward the right by the respective pins 80a. The movable member 80B is moved in the left direction opposite to thedirection of the movable member 80A, and the lower end parts 15 bb ofthe respective second straight parts 15B are moved toward the left bythe respective pins 80 b. Besides, the movable member 80C is moved inthe left direction, and the upper end parts 15 aa of the respectivefirst straight parts 15A are moved toward the left by the respectivepins 80 c. The movable member 80D is moved in the right directionopposite to the direction of the movable member 80C, and the upper endparts 15 ba of the respective second straight parts 15B are moved to theright by the respective pins 80 d. As a result of the movements of thesemovable members 80A to 80D, each of the winding members 151 is deformedfrom a state shown by a solid line of FIG. 13 to a state shown by adotted line, and the winding member 152 indicated by an alternate longand short dash line is also similarly deformed.

As is apparent from FIG. 13, with respect to each of the first straightparts 15A positioned on the first plane E-E, its upper end part 15 aa ismoved to the left, and its lower end part 15 ab is moved to the right,and consequently, it has the first parallel straight part 15 a 1, andthe inclined parts 15 a 2 and 15 a 3. Besides, with respect to each ofthe second straight parts 15B positioned on the second plane F-F, itsupper part 15 ba is moved to the right, and its lower end part 15 bb ismoved to the left, and consequently, it has the second parallel straightpart 15 b 1 and the inclined parts 15 b 2 and 15 b 3.

Next, in FIG. 13, attention is paid to the relation between the windingmember 151 indicated by the solid line and the winding member 152indicated by the alternate long and short dash line. Before thedisplacement step, the first straight part 15A of this winding member152 crosses the second straight part 15B of the winding member 151indicated by the solid line at the middle point G in the lengthdirection, and after the movement of the movable members 80A to 80D, itis eventually overlaps on the second parallel straight part 15 b 1indicated by the dotted line. Similarly, the second straight part 15B ofthe winding member 152 indicated by the alternate long and short dashline crosses the first straight part 15A of the winding member 151indicated by the solid line at the middle point G, and as a result ofthe movements of the movable members 80A to 80D, it eventually overlapsunder the lower portion of the first parallel straight part 15 a 1indicated by the dotted line. In this way, at the displacement step, asshown in FIG. 3, the parallel straight parts 15 a 1 and 15 b 1 of thetwo winding members overlap with each other, and the winding combination12 is formed.

Description of the Press Step

The press step is carried out subsequently to the displacement step. Atthis press step, the winding assembly 10 in the state where thedisplacement step is ended is pressed so that the first plane E-E wherethe respective first straight parts 15A are positioned and the secondplane F-F where the respective second straight parts 15B are positionedapproach each other.

This press step is shown in FIG. 15( b). FIG. 15( a) is a side view ofthe winding assembly 10 after the displacement step is ended, and thefirst plane E-E where the first straight parts 15A of the respectivewinding members 15 are positioned and the second plane F-F where therespective second straight parts 15B are positioned are in parallel toeach other and are spaced each other. At the press step, as shown inFIG. 15( b), at least one of the first straight part 15A and the secondstraight part 15B is pressed to the other so that the inside surfaces ofthe respective straight parts 15A and 15B are positioned on almost thesame plane.

Description of the Insertion Step

The insertion step of inserting the winding assembly 10 into slots of astator iron core of a rotating electrical machine is carried out afterthe press step. The stator iron core is constructed to be developed intoa flat plate shape, and plural slots are formed on its one surface atpredetermined intervals. In the winding assembly 10, the parallelstraight parts 15 a 1 and 15 b 1 of each of the winding combinationbodies 12 overlapping with each other are inserted into one slot, theparallel straight part 15 a 1 is positioned at the inner layer of theslot, and the parallel straight part 15 b 1 is positioned at the outerlayer of the slot. Different parallel straight parts 15 b 1 and 15 a 1of the same winding combination 12 overlapping with each other areinserted into a different slot spaced apart from this slot by N pieces.In this different slot, they are inserted so that the parallel straightpart 15 b 1 is positioned at the inner layer, and the parallel straightpart 15 a 1 is positioned at the outer layer.

After all the winding combinations 12 are similarly inserted into therespective slots, the stator iron core is bent into a cylindrical shapeso that the respective slots are positioned at the inner periphery, boththe ends are joined to each other, and further, inner wire connectionnecessary for the winding assembly 10 is performed, and a joining stepof joining end parts of the necessary winding members 15 is carried out,so that the stator is completed.

As described above, after the winding step, the first parallel straightparts 15 a 1 are formed at the respective first straight parts 15A bythe displacement step, and the second parallel straight parts are formedat the respective second straight parts 15B, so that they can be easilyinserted into the slots in the state where these parallel straight parts15 a 1 and 15 b 1 are parallel to each other.

Besides, at the displacement step, since the two winding members areoverlapped with each other while the up and down overlap relation of thefirst parallel straight part 15 a 1 and the second parallel straightpart 15 b 1 is changed, the electrical characteristics of the twowinding members in the slots can be made uniform. Especially in apredetermined slot, the first parallel straight part 15 a 1 of the firstwinding member is positioned at the first layer, and the second parallelstraight part 15 b 1 of the second winding member is positioned at thesecond layer, and further, at a slot spaced apart from the predeterminedslot by a predetermined number, the first parallel straight part 15 a 1of the first winding member is positioned at the second layer, and thesecond parallel straight part 15 b 1 is positioned at the first layer,and the position is changed at each turn, and accordingly, theelectrical characteristics can be made more uniform.

Besides, after the winding assembly 10 is inserted into the iron core,the end parts of the respective winding members are joined to eachother, the insertion operation can be easily performed, and the wireconnection of the winding assembly can be easily performed after theinsertion.

Besides, since the press step of causing the first plane E-E where therespective first straight parts 15A of the plural winding members 15 arepositioned to approach the second plane F-F where the respective secondstraight parts 15B are positioned is performed, it becomes easy to causethe first winding member to approach the second winding member in theslot.

Embodiment 2

Next, embodiment 2 of a manufacture method for a winding assembly of arotating electrical machine according to this invention will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 16 to 20.

According to this embodiment 2, a winding step includes a lead wireformation step SLW of forming a lead wire 17 a at a set position for awinding member selected from plural winding members wound. This leadwire formation step SLW is carried out by a lead wire preparation stepSLP carried out subsequently to an nth first or second wire rod feedstep S1 or S3 (n is an arbitrary natural number) and by an nth first orsecond wire rod turn step S2 or S4 subsequent to this lead wirepreparation step SLP. The first or second wire rod turn step S2 or S4subsequent to this lead wire preparation step SLP is called a lead wireadditional formation turn step STL. At the lead wire additionalformation turn step STL, the lead wire 17 a is formed in addition to afirst straight part 15A and a first turn part 15C, and besides, the leadwire 17 a is formed in addition to a second straight part 15B and asecond turn part 15D. The winding step except this lead wire formationstep SLW, and a displacement step, a press step and an insertion stepsubsequent thereto are equal to those of embodiment 1.

In this embodiment 2, for the lead wire formation step SLW, a retractmovement operation MS to retract the auxiliary block 50 to the wire rodfeed mechanism 60 side, a cutting mechanism 70 for cutting the selectedwire rod in the vicinity of the wire rod feed mechanism 60, and anavoidance return operation AR to return the rotation block 33 to theoriginal position while avoiding the wire rod 25 and the lead wire 17 aare introduced into the manufacturing apparatus 20 described inembodiment 1. The other structure of the manufacturing apparatus 20 andthe movements of the respective parts are equal to those of embodiment1.

The lead wire preparation step SLP in the lead wire formation step SLWis shown in FIGS. 16( a) and 16(b). At this lead wire preparation stepSLP, a cut operation by the cutting mechanism 70 and the retractmovement operation MS of the auxiliary block 50 are performed. First,the cutting operation by the cutting mechanism 70 will be described.

At the end of the nth first wire rod feed step S1 or second wire rodfeed step S3, the feed blocks 61 and 62 of the wire rod feed mechanism60 are at the advance position where the respective wire rods 25 arenipped between the feed blocks 61 and 62, and are fed from the firstsurface 41 of the fixed block 40 onto the rotation surface 36 of therotation block 33 along the respective supply lines SL, and the advanceposition of this wire rod feed mechanism 60 is indicated by a dottedline in FIG. 16( b). A cutter 71 of the cutting mechanism 70 is disposedabove the advance position of the wire rod feed mechanism 60. In thestate where the wire rod feed mechanism 60 is at the advance positionand the respective wire rods 25 are nipped and held, this cuttingmechanism 70 lowers the cutter 71 from above the front end toward thesupply lines SL of the wire rods, and cuts a wire rod 25-11 selectedfrom the plural wire rods 25 at a cut place 25 c. This wire rod 25-11 isthe eleventh wire rod among the twelve wire rods 25 when counted fromthe rotator 31 side. In this wire rod 25-11, at the left side of the cutplace 25 c, there is a wire rod portion 25C extending from the cut place25 c on the supply line SL to a portion slightly below the rotation axisL-L, and at the right side of the cut place 25 c, there is a wire rodportion 25D extending from the cut place 25 c through the wire rod feedmechanism 60. In this embodiment 2, the wire rod portion 25C becomes thelead wire 17 a.

At the lead wire preparation step SLP, the retract movement operation MSof the auxiliary block 50 is performed subsequently to the cut operationby the cutting mechanism 70. The retract movement operation MS of theauxiliary block 50 is carried out in a state where the wire rod feedmechanism 60 releases the holding operation of the respective wire rods25, and is returned to the original position indicated by the solid linein FIGS. 16( a) and 16(b). The retract movement operation MS of thisauxiliary block 50 is performed in order to prevent that the rotation ofthe lead wire 17 a is hindered by the auxiliary block 50 before theforward rotation operation FR is given to the rotation block 33 at thenth first wire rod turn step S1 or second wire rod turn step S3subsequent to the lead wire formation preparation step. By the retractmovement operation MS, the auxiliary block 50 performs the retractoperation in an arrow D1 direction from the original position indicatedby an alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 16(b) to the retractposition adjacent to the wire rod feed mechanism 60 returned to theoriginal position. At this retract position, the auxiliary block 50 ispositioned at the right side of the cut place 25 c as indicated by thesolid line in FIG. 16( b), and it does not prevent the wire rod portion25C from rotating in the clockwise direction in accordance with theforward rotation driving FR.

Subsequently to the lead wire preparation step SLP, a lead wireadditional formation turn step STL shown in FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b) andFIGS. 18( a) and 18(b) is carried out. In FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b), theforward rotation driving FR is given to the rotator 31 and the rotationblock 33. Since the wire rod portion 25C positioned at the left side ofthe cut place 25 c is cut at the cut place 25 c, it is rotated in theclockwise direction in accordance with the forward rotation driving FRof the rotation block 33 as shown in FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b). However,all the other wire rods 25 having no cut place 25 c are nipped and heldbetween the feed blocks 61 and 62 of the wire rod feed mechanism 60 andare not rotated.

In FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b), when the wire rod portion 25C is rotated by apredetermined angle θ, and there is eliminated a fear that the auxiliaryblock 50 hinders the rotation of the wire rod portion 25C, the auxiliaryblock 50 is quickly moved from the retract position indicated by thealternate long and short dash line toward the arrow D2 direction, and isquickly returned to the original position. At the original position, theauxiliary block 50 retains the wire rods 25 in the guide grooves 43 ofthe first surface 41 of the fixed block 40 into the guide grooves 43,and hinders the wire rods 25 on the first surface 41, together with therotation block 33, from rotating in the clockwise direction. As a resultthat the rotation of the wire rods 25 on the first surface 41 ishindered by the auxiliary block 50, the wire rods 25 on the rotationsurface 36 are efficiently bent along the shaping surface 44. In orderto quickly secure this efficient bending operation, in the state wherethe wire rod portion 25C has been rotated by the predetermined angle θ,the auxiliary block 50 is quickly returned to the original position.

An inclined surface 52 is formed on the auxiliary block 50. Thisinclined surface 52 is formed by obliquely cutting the lower corner ofthe auxiliary block 50 at the rotation axis L-L side, and in FIG. 17(b), when the auxiliary block 50 is quickly returned to the originalposition in the arrow D2 direction, it faces the lead wire 17 a rotated.This inclined surface 52 prevents that the auxiliary block 50 quicklyreturned to the original position collides with the lead wire 17 a.

FIGS. 18( a) and 18(b) shows the end of the forward rotation driving FRof the rotation block 33 in the lead wire additional formation turn stepSTL. In the state shown in FIGS. 18( a) and 18(b), as described inembodiment 1, the rotation block 33 is positioned on the secondreference surface F-F including the second surface 42 of the fixed block40, and on this second reference surface F-F, the first straight part15A or the second straight part 15B is formed for each of the wire rods25, the first turn part 15C or the second turn part 15D is formed alongthe shaping surface 44, and the wire rod portion 25C also extends almosthorizontally on the second reference surface F-F to become the lead wire17 a.

In preparation for the next wire rod feed step S1 or S3, the rotationblock 33 is returned from the state shown in FIGS. 18( a) and 18(b) tothe original position. In embodiment 2, at the return of the rotationblock 33, the avoidance return operation AR to return the rotation block33 while avoiding the wire rod 25 and the lead wire 17 a is given. Inthis avoidance return operation AR, a next first upward movement UP1, abackward movement BK, a counter rotation movement CR, a downwardmovement DN, a forward movement FD, and a second upward movement UP2 aregiven to the rotation block 33 in this order. The respective movementsare effective in returning the rotation block 33 to the originalposition while avoiding the lead wire 17 a. Incidentally, the respectivemovements are movements to move not only the rotation block 33 but alsothe whole of the rotation portion, together with the rotator 31 and thecoupling body 34.

FIGS. 19( a), 19(b) and 19(c) show the respective movements. First, FIG.19( a) shows the first upward movement UP1 for the rotation portionincluding the rotation block 33. This first upward movement UP1 raises,in an arrow G direction orthogonal to the rotation axis L-L, the secondsurface 42 of the fixed block 40, that is, the rotation block 33existing on the second reference surface F-F so as to separate it fromthe second surface 42. By this first upward movement UP1, the rotationsurface 36 of the rotation block 33 moves above the second referencesurface F-F. By this first upward movement UP1, the rotation surface 36of the rotation block 33 rises from the second reference surface F-F ina state where the wire rods 25 fitted in the guide grooves 37 of therotation surface 36 are made to remain on the second reference surfaceF-F, and the rotation block 33 is placed in a free state with respect tothe respective wire rods 25.

In FIG. 19( b), the backward movement BK is given to the rotationportion including the rotation block 33 subsequently to the first upwardmovement UP1. Subsequently to the first upward movement UP1, in thisbackward movement BK, the rotation block 33 is moved backward in anarrow H direction of FIG. 19( b) along the rotation axis L-L to approachthe rotator 31. In this backward movement BK, since the rotation block33 is in the free state with respect to the respective wire rods 25 bythe first upward movement UP1, the rotation block 33 can be easily movedbackward. In this backward movement BK, as shown in FIG. 19( b), therotation block 33 is moved backward to such a range that even if thecounter rotation operation CR in an arrow A2 a direction is given to therotation block 33, the rotation block 33 does not collide with the leadwire 17 a.

Subsequently to this backward movement BK, the counter rotationoperation CR in the arrow A2 a direction is given to the rotationportion including the rotation block 33. In this counter rotationoperation CR, the rotation block 33 is inverted by 180 degrees in thearrow A2 a direction around an axis rising from the rotation axis L-L bythe first upward movement UP1. Subsequently to this counter rotationmovement CR, the downward movement DN is given to the rotation block 33.This downward movement DN moves the rotation surface 36 of the rotationblock 33 across the first reference surface E-E to the lower sidethereof.

Subsequently to the downward movement DN, the forward movement FD isgiven to the rotation portion including the rotation block 33. Thisforward movement FD moves the rotation block 33, which has been movedbackward to approach the rotator 31 by the backward movement BK, forwardin an arrow J direction of FIG. 19( b) along the rotation axis L-L. Inthis state, since the rotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33 ispositioned at the further lower side of the first reference surface E-Eas indicated by an alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 19( b),even if the rotation block 33 moves forward by the forward movement FD,the guide grooves 37 of the rotation surface 36 do not collide with thewire rods 25 on the first reference surface E-E. Subsequently to theforward movement FD, as shown in FIG. 19( c), the second upward movementUP2 is given to the rotation portion including the rotation block 33,and the rotation block 33 is returned to the original position. At thisoriginal position, the rotation surface 36 returns to the firstreference surface E-E, and the wire rods 25 on the first referencesurface E-E fit in the respective guide grooves 37 of the rotationsurface 36. This state is equal to the end state of the first or thesecond wire rod turn step S2 or S4 described in embodiment 1, andprepares for the next first wire rod feed step S1 or the second wire rodfeed step S3.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the operation of the winding stepaccording to embodiment 2. This flowchart includes a first step groupS10 and a second step group S20, and step 15 is included between thefirst and the second step groups S10 and S20. The first step group S10is a normal winding step not including the formation of the lead wire 17a, and includes step S11 and step S12. The step S12 further includessteps S13 and S14. The step S11 indicates the wire rod feed steps S1 andS3 described in embodiment 1, and on the respective supply lines SL, apredetermined number of plural wire rods 25 are supplied to the guidegrooves 37 of the rotation surface 36 from the direction inclined by apredetermined inclination angle α with respect to the rotation axis L-L.The step S12 indicates the wire rod turn steps S2 and S4 described inembodiment 1, the step 13 indicates the forward rotation operation FR ofthe rotation block 33, and the step S14 indicates the counter rotationoperation CR of the rotation block 33. At the step S13, by the forwardrotation operation FR of the rotation block 33, the plural wire rods 25on the rotation surface 36 are simultaneously bent around the rotationaxis L-L by substantially 180 degrees to form the first and the secondstraight parts 15A and 15B and the first and the second turn parts 15Cand 15D. At the step S14, the rotation block 33 is returned to theoriginal position by the counter rotation operation CR of the rotationblock 33.

At the step S15, it is judged whether a formation position of the leadwire 17 a is produced. When the position where the lead wire 17 a isformed is produced and the judgment result of the step S15 is YES, theprocedure proceeds to the second step group S20. When the judgmentresult is NO, the procedure returns to the step S11 of the first stepgroup S10, and the winding operation described in embodiment 1 isrepeated.

At the second step group S20, in addition to the first and the secondstraight parts 15A and 15B, and the first and the second turn parts 15Cand 15D, the lead wire 17 a is formed. This second step group S20includes step group S22 of carrying out the lead wire formation step SLWafter step S21 indicating the first and the second wire rod feed stepsS1 and S3. The step group S22 of carrying out the lead wire formationstep SLW includes step S23 of carrying out the lead wire preparationstep SLP, and step group S24 of carrying out the lead wire additionalformation turn step STL. At the step S23, the cutting step by thecutting mechanism 70 and the retract movement operation MS to theauxiliary block 50 are carried out. The step group S24 of carrying outthe lead wire additional formation turn step STL includes step S25 ofperforming the forward rotation operation FR of the rotation block 33,and step group S26 of carrying out the avoidance return operation AR ofthe rotation block 33. At the step S25, in addition to the first and thesecond straight parts 15A and 15B and the first and the second turnparts 15C and 15D, the lead wire 17 a is formed.

By the step S26 after the step S25, the avoidance return operation AR ofthe rotation block 33 is performed. This avoidance return operation ARincludes a first upward movement UP1 of step S27, a backward operationBK of step S28, an avoidance counter rotation operation CRA of step S29,a downward movement DN of step S30, a forward operation FD of step S31,and a second upward movement UP2 of step S32. The procedure returns fromthe second upward movement UP2 of this step S32 to the step S11, and thefirst step group S10 is carried out.

As described above, according to embodiment 2, in the winding step ofthe winding assembly 10, the lead wire 17 a can be simultaneously formedfor the selected wire rod 25 at the predetermined turn position. Unlikethe prior invention, a work operation is made unnecessary in which afterthe winding assembly 10 is constructed, an insulation coating of a wirerod of a predetermined winding member at a predetermined turn positionis peeled, and a lead wire is bonded to the portion, and manufactureefficiency of the winding assembly 10 can be improved.

Embodiment 3

Similarly to embodiment 2, embodiment 3 relates to a manufacturingmethod for a winding assembly of a rotating electrical machine in whicha lead wire is formed in a winding step of a winding assembly 10, and isan embodiment in which embodiment 2 is modified and one more lead wire17 b is formed subsequently to one lead wire 17 a.

FIGS. 21( a) and 21(b) show a state in which after one lead wire 17 a isformed similarly to embodiment 2, one more lead wire 17 b is formed.FIGS. 21( a) and 21(b) show the state in which after the lead wire 17 ais formed, the lead wire 17 b is formed in the state where the rotationblock 33 exists on the second reference surface F-F. Although the stateshown in FIGS. 21( a) and 21(b) corresponds to the state shown in FIGS.18( a) and 18(b) of embodiment 2, the lead wire 17 b is additionallyformed.

In the state shown in FIGS. 16( a) and 16(b), the wire rod 25-11 cut atthe cut place 25 c by the cutting mechanism 70 includes the wire rodportion 25D existing at the right side of the cut place 25 c, and evenat the end of the forward rotation driving of the rotation block 33shown in FIG. 18, the wire rod portion 25D exists at the position shownin FIGS. 16( a) and 16(b). In embodiment 3, in the state shown in FIGS.21( a) and 21(b) corresponding to FIGS. 18( a) and 18(b) of embodiment2, while the wire rods 25 except the cut wire rod 25-11 are made toremain on the first surface 41 of the fixed block 40, the wire rodportion 25D of the wire rod 25-11 is supplied onto the rotation surface36 of the rotation block 33, so that this wire rod portion 25D forms thelead wire 17 b. Specifically, with respect to this cut portion 25D, forexample, as shown in FIG. 21( b), a selected wire rod push-out mechanism75 to push out only a selected wire rod is provided behind the wire rodfeed mechanism 60, and by a pusher 75 of this selected wire rod push-outmechanism 75, only the wire rod 25-11 including the wire rod portion 25Dis made to further project from the rotation surface 36 as shown inFIGS. 21( a) and 21(b), and the lead wire 17 b is formed.

Although the lead wire 17 a exists on the second reference surface F-Fsimilarly to embodiment 2, since the lead wire 17 b is formed on thefirst reference surface E-E by pushing out only the wire rod 25-11including the wire rod portion 25D by the selected wire rod push-outmechanism 75, it exists on the first reference surface E-E.

Also in this embodiment 3, as shown in FIGS. 21( a) and 21(b), it isnecessary that the rotation block 33 existing on the second referencesurface F-F is returned to its original position while avoidingcollision with the wire rod 25 and the lead wires 17 a and 17 b, and forthat purpose, an avoidance return operation AR similar to embodiment 2is given to the rotation block 33. The avoidance return operation AR inthis embodiment 3 is shown in FIGS. 22( a), 22(b) and 22(c), and sincethis is the same as the avoidance return operation AR of embodiment 2shown in FIGS. 19( a), 19(b) and 19(c), the detailed description will beomitted.

According to this embodiment 3, in the winding step of the windingassembly 10, the lead wires 17 a and 17 b are continuously formed.

Embodiment 4

Embodiment 4 is an embodiment in which at winding start end parts of awinding assembly 10 and winding finish end parts, leading end parts 18a, 18 b, 18 c and 18 d connected to winding members 15 of anotherwinding assembly 10 are formed in a winding step of the winding assembly10. FIGS. 23( a) and 23(b) and FIGS. 24( a) and 24(b) show a state inwhich the leading end parts 18 a and 18 b are formed at the windingstart end parts, and FIGS. 25( a) and 25(b) show a state in which theleading end parts 18 c and 18 d are formed at the winding finish endparts.

In this embodiment 4, the auxiliary block 50 used in embodiment 2 isreplaced by two auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B. These auxiliary blocks 50Aand 50B are such that the auxiliary block 50 is separated, typically isjust halved in the direction in which twelve wire rods 25 are arrangedin parallel to each other. The auxiliary block 50A corresponds to sixwire rods 25-1 to 25-6 close to the rotator 31 among twelve adjacentwire rods 25, and the auxiliary block 50B corresponds to remaining wirerods 25-7 to 25-12. The respective auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B areconstructed to be capable of moving from an original position oppositeto a first surface 41 of a fixed block 40 to a retract position close toa wire rod feed mechanism 60. However, in this embodiment 4, the oneauxiliary block 50B is always placed at the original position. Indetail, in the state where the leading end parts 18 a and 18 b areformed at the winding start end parts shown in FIGS. 23( a) and 23(b)and FIGS. 24( a) and 24(b), both the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B existat the original position, and in the state where the leading end parts18 c and 18 d are formed at the winding finish end parts shown in FIGS.25( a) and 25(b), only the auxiliary block 50A is moved to the retractposition.

Each of the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B has an auxiliary surface 51opposite to the first surface 41 of the fixed block 40 at its originalposition, and has an inclined surface 52 at a lower portion of a frontend face on a rotation axis L-L side.

Besides, in this embodiment 4, the wire rod feed mechanism 60 used inembodiments 1, 2 and 3 is replaced by two wire rod feed mechanisms 60Aand 60B. The wire rod feed mechanism 60A performs feeding of the sixwire rods 25-1 to 25-6 close to the rotator 31, and the wire rod feedmechanism 60B performs feeding of the remaining six wire rods 25-7 to25-12. Similarly to the wire rod feed mechanism 60, each of the wire rodfeed mechanisms 60A and 60B includes feed blocks 61 and 62. Guidegrooves 63 for guiding six wire rods are formed on the surface of eachof the feed blocks 62, and the feed block 62 is pressed to the feedblock 61 so that the six wire rods are nipped and held.

FIGS. 23( a) and 23(b) and FIGS. 24( a) and 24(b) show the formationstate of the leading end parts 18 a and 18 b at the winding start endparts of the winding assembly 10, and FIGS. 25( a) and 25(b) show theformation state of the leading end parts 18 c and 18 d at the windingfinish end parts.

First, the formation method of the leading end parts 18 a and 18 b willbe described with reference to FIGS. 23( a) and 23(b) and FIGS. 24( a)and 24(b). The leading end parts 18 a and 18 b of the winding start endparts of the winding assembly 10 are formed by carrying out a windingstart leading end part formation step before a first wire rod feed stepS1, a first wire rod turn step S2, a second wire rod feed step S3 and asecond wire rod turn step S4. The winding start leading end partformation step includes a wire rod feed step SS1 for six wire rods amongtwelve wire rods 25, a wire rod turn step SS2, and a wire rod turn stepSS3.

As shown in FIGS. 23( a) and 23(b), the wire rod feed step SS1 is a stepof feeding the six wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 close to the rotator 31 beforethe remaining wire rods 25-7 to 25-12. In the two wire rod feedmechanisms 60A and 60B, in the state where the wire rod feed mechanism60B is stopped at the original position, only the wire rod feedmechanism 60A is moved in the arrow C1 direction, and feeds the six wirerods 25-1 to 25-6 onto the rotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33.This wire rod feed mechanism 60A feeds the wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 in thestate where the six wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 are nipped and held. At thiswire rod feed step SS1, similarly to the wire rod feed steps S1 and S3,the rotation block 33 is at the original position, and the rotationsurface 36 is on the first reference surface E-E. The auxiliary blocks50A and 50B are in the state where they are stopped at the positionopposite to the first surface 41 of the fixed block 40.

The wire rod turn step SS2 is shown in FIGS. 24( a) and 24(b). Theforward rotation driving FR is given to the rotation block 33 from theoriginal position shown in FIGS. 23( a) and 23(b), and the rotationsurface 36 is positioned on the second reference surface F-F. By theforward rotation driving FR of this rotation block 33, as shown in FIGS.24( a) and 24(b), the six wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 are bent bysubstantially 180 degrees with respect to the rotation axis L-L, and theleading end parts 18 a are formed. The rotation block 33 is given thecounter rotation driving CR after the forward rotation driving FR, andis returned to the original position indicated by an alternate long andshort dash line in FIGS. 24( a) and 24(b).

At the next wire rod feed step SS3, after the rotation block 33 isreturned to the original position indicated by the alternate long andshort dash line in FIGS. 24( a) and 24(b), the remaining wire rods 25-7to 25-12 are fed to the rotation surface 36. At this wire rod feed stepSS3, in the state where the wire rod feed mechanism 60A is stopped atthe original position, the wire rod feed mechanism 60B is moved in thearrow C1 direction in the state where the remaining wire rods 25-7 to25-12 are nipped and held, and feeds the wire rods 25-7 to 25-12 to therotation surface 36. The end parts of the wire rods 25-7 to 25-12 fed tothe rotation surface 36 form the leading end parts 18 b. In FIGS. 24( a)and 24(b), although the leading end parts 18 a are positioned on thesecond reference surface F-F, the leading end parts 18 b are positionedon the first reference surface E-E.

After the wire rod feed step SS3, the first wire rod feed step S1described in embodiment 1, the first wire rod turn step S2, the secondwire rod feed step S3, and the second wire rod turn step S4 are repeatedin this order and the winding step proceeds. In these steps S1 to S4,similarly to embodiment 1, the twelve wire rods 25 are simultaneouslyfed to the rotation surface 36, and the twelve wire rods 25 aresimultaneously bent along the shaping surface 44 by the rotation of therotation surface 36.

FIGS. 25( a) and 25(b) show the winding finish leading end partformation step of forming the leading end parts 18 c and 18 d at thewinding finish end parts of the winding assembly 10. This winding finishleading end part formation step is carried out subsequently to the finalsecond wire rod turn step S4. At the winding finish leading end partformation step, in the state where the wire rods 25-7 to 25-12 are madeto remain on the first reference surface E-E, the wire rods 25-1 to 25-6are bent by the forward rotation driving FR of the rotation surface 36.At this time, as shown in FIGS. 25( a) and 25(b), the end parts 18 c ofthe wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 are rotated in the clockwise direction fromthe position close to the rotation axis L-L of the first referencesurface E-E, and only the auxiliary block 50A is retracted to theretract position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line inFIG. 25( b) in order not to hinder the rotation of this end parts 18 c.The auxiliary block 50B is stopped at the original position where itsauxiliary surface 51 is opposite to the first surface 41 of the fixedblock 40, and prevents the wire rods 25-7 to 25-12 from rotating. Thus,the end parts 18 d of the wire rods 25-7 to 25-12 are made to remain onthe first reference surface E-E. In the state where the end parts 18 cof the wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 are rotated by a predetermined angle θ,even if the auxiliary block 50A is returned to the original positionopposite to the first surface 41 of the fixed block 40, it does nothinder the rotation of the end part 18 a, and the auxiliary block 50A isquickly moved in the arrow D1 direction as indicated by the alternatelong and short dash line in FIG. 25( b) and is returned to the originalposition.

By this winding finish leading end formation step, the leading end parts18 c and 18 d are formed.

According to this embodiment 4, in the winding step of the windingassembly 10, the winding start leading end parts 18 a and 18 b and thewinding finish leading end parts 18 c and 18 d can be simultaneouslyformed.

FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 exemplify the winding assembly 10 in which the leadwires 17 a and 17 b are formed by embodiment 3 and the leading end parts18 a, 18 b, 18 c and 18 d are formed by embodiment 4. FIG. 26exemplifies the winding assembly 10 in which the lead wires 17 a and 17b are made a pair 17 of lead wires and six pairs 17 of lead wires areformed, and FIG. 27 shows the winding assembly 10 in which more, twelve,pairs 17 of lead wires are formed. In both the winding assemblies 10exemplified in FIG. 26 and FIG. 27, all the pairs 17 of the lead wiresare formed to project toward the upper side of the winding assembly 10.Such arrangement of the pairs 17 of the lead wires is effective inconcentrating the lead wire pairs 17 in the winding assembly 10 to oneside of the winding assembly 10, and facilitates joining of the leadwire pairs 17.

In FIG. 26 and FIG. 27, the winding start leading end parts 18 a and 18b are formed at the left end part of the drawing, and the leading endparts 18 a extend to the upper side of the winding assembly 10, and theleading end parts 18 b extend to the lower side thereof. The windingfinish leading end parts 18 c and 18 d are formed at the right side ofthe drawing. The leading end parts 18 c of the wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 inwhich the leading end parts 18 a are formed extend to the upper side ofthe winding assembly 10, and the leading end parts 18 d of the wire rods25-7 to 25-12 in which the leading end parts 18 b are formed extend tothe lower side. When they are inserted into slots of a stator iron core,the winding start end parts and the winding finish end parts areadjacent to each other, and accordingly, such arrangement of the leadingend parts 18 a, 18 b, 18 c and 18 d facilitates the connection of theleading end parts.

[Description of a Stator of a Rotating Electrical Machine in Which aWinding Assembly of the Invention is Mounted]

Next, a stator of a rotating electrical machine in which the windingassembly 10 of the invention is mounted will be described with referenceto FIG. 28. FIG. 28 exemplifies the stator of the rotating electricalmachine in which the winding assembly 10 is mounted. This statorincludes an annular stator iron core 80S, and many slots 81 are formedat an equal pitch on the inner periphery of the stator iron core 80S.Three winding assemblies 10A, 10B and 10C are overlapped with each otherand are inserted in these slots 81 to constitute a stator winding 83.Each of the winding assemblies 10A, 10B and 10C includes twelve windingmembers 15, and the twelve winding members 15 constitute six windingcombinations 12. Eight lead terminals 85, an upper leading endconnection part 87 and a lower leading end connection part 88 are formedin the stator winding 83. Each of the upper leading end connection part87 and the lower leading end connection parts 88 includes twelveconnection parts. The lead terminals 85 are terminals in which the leadwires 17 a and 17 b formed in embodiment 3 are connected among thewinding assemblies 10A, 10B and 10C. The upper leading end connectionpart 87 is the connection part in which the leading end parts 18 a and18 c formed in embodiment 4 are connected among the winding assemblies10A, 10B and 10C, and is positioned at the upper side of the statorwinding 83. The lower leading end connection part 88 is the connectionpart in which the leading end parts 18 b and 18 d formed in embodiment 4are connected among the winding assemblies 10A, 10B and 10C, and ispositioned at the lower side of the stator winding 83.

In a rotating electrical machine, especially in a vehicle AC generator,the stator winding 83 is used as an armature winding to generate poweroutput. In this vehicle AC generator, for miniaturization thereof, thestator winding 83 is mounted in a smaller space, and in order to copewith an increase in electrical load of a recent vehicle, there is atendency that the stator winding 83 is required to have higher generatoroutput, and a mounting structure with improved space efficiency isadopted for the stator winding 83. In this stator winding 83, inaddition to the inside of the stator iron core 80S, a coil end portion83E positioned at the upper side and the lower side of the stator ironcore 80S, including the lead terminals 85, the upper leading endconnection part 87, and the lower leading end connection part 88, isalso arranged in a smaller space and is constructed.

In the winding assembly according to this invention, more, for example,twelve winding members 15 are simultaneously wound and the high densitywinding assembly 10 is efficiently manufactured, and further, the leadwires 17 a and 17 b constituting the lead terminal 85 can be efficientlyformed in the winding step of the winding assembly 10, and as comparedwith a case where special lead wires are later joined, the lead wirescan be constructed in a smaller space. Also with respect to the leadingend connection parts 87 and 88, similarly, the leading end parts 18 a,18 b, 18 c and 18 d are efficiently formed in the winding step, and ascompared with a case where special lead wires are later joined to theleading end parts, the leading end parts can be constructed in a smallerspace.

Description of a Rotating Electrical Machine Using a Winding AssemblyAccording to the Invention

FIG. 29 is a sectional view showing an example of a rotating electricalmachine using a winding assembly manufactured according to thisinvention.

This rotating electrical machine is an AC generator mounted in avehicle, and is used for charging a battery of the vehicle, feeding tovarious electric loads mounted in the vehicle, and the like. This ACgenerator includes a rotating shaft 101, a pair of brackets 110 and 111,a rotator 120 and a stator 130. The rotator 120 includes a pair ofrotator iron cores 121 and 122 and a rotation coil 123. This rotationcoil 123 is a field coil, and is excited from a pair of brushes 102 and103 provided on the rotating shaft 101 and slip rings 104 and 105. Therotating shaft 101 is rotatably supported by the pair of brackets 110and 111 through bearings 112 and 113.

The stator 130 includes an annular stator iron core 80S disposed outsidethe outer periphery of the rotator 120 and a stator winding 83 includinga winding assembly 10. As shown in FIG. 28, the stator iron core 80Sincludes many slots at predetermined intervals on the inner peripheralsurface, and respective winding combinations 12 of at least one windingassembly 10 are inserted into the slots. Specifically, first and secondparallel straight parts 15 a 1 and 15 b 1 of each of winding members 15of each of the winding combinations 12 are inserted into the slots. Thiswinding assembly 10 constitutes an output coil of the AC generator, andwhen the rotating shaft 101 is driven by an engine or the like, ACvoltage is generated. This AC voltage is converted into DC voltage by arectifier disposed inside of the bracket 110, and is fed to the batteryand the various loads.

Description of Embodiment Relating to a Manufacturing Apparatus for aWinding Assembly of a Rotating Electrical Machine

Embodiment 5 relating to a manufacturing apparatus for a windingassembly of a rotating electrical machine according to this inventionwill be described.

Embodiment 5

Although the main structure of the manufacturing apparatus 20 has beendescribed with reference to FIG. 4 for convenience of explanation, inembodiment 5, more specific structure of the manufacturing apparatus 20will be described anew.

First, some main parts around a rotation space 35 of the manufacturingapparatus 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 30, 31, 32 and33. FIG. 30 is a plan view of the rotation space 35, FIG. 31 is a frontview showing a main part of FIG. 30, FIG. 32 is a side view of therotation space 35, and FIG. 33 is an enlarged front view showing arelation between a rotation block 33, a fixed block 40, and auxiliaryblocks 50A and 50B.

The rotation block 33 is disposed at one end of a coupling body 34. Thisrotation block 33 is arranged to be rotatable around rotation axis L-L.This rotation block 33 has a flat rotation surface 36 facing therotation space 35, and twelve guide grooves 37 are formed on thisrotation surface 36. The rotation block 33 is made of iron, and theguide grooves 37 are such that as shown in FIG. 31, thin grooves havingsquare sectional shapes are formed to be parallel to each other on therotation surface 36. Also in FIGS. 30 to 34, the rotation block 33 isshown at the original position, and the guide grooves 37 are openedupward at the original position. The guide grooves 37 are formed to beparallel with supply lines SL of wire rods, and its width and depth arealmost equal to a wire diameter of the wire rod 25. A chromium coatingis applied to the surface of the guide groove 37. The rotation surface36 is on a first reference surface E-E at the original position. Thebottom surface of each of the guide grooves 37 is positioned below thefirst reference surface E-E by a dimension almost equal to the diameterof the wire rod, and the bottom surface of each of the guide grooves 37exists on the supply line SL of the wire rod at the original position.

The fixed block 40 is also made of iron, and is fixed to an upper end ofa fixing stand 200 by a bolt. This fixed block 40 has a thick portion201 close to the fixing stand 200, a thin portion 202 is formed at thetip of the thick portion 201, and this thin portion 202 is opposite tothe rotation block 33. The lower surface of the thin portion 202 is aflat first surface 41, and twelve guide grooves 43 are formed also onthis first surface 41 in parallel to the supply lines SL of the wirerods. The guide grooves 43 are also such that grooves having squaresections are formed on the first surface 41 in parallel to each other,and the grooves 43 are opened downward. The width and depth of each ofthe guide grooves 43 are substantially equal to the diameter of the wirerod. A chromium coating is applied also to the surface of the guidegroove 43. The bottom surface of the guide groove 43 is positioned abovethe first surface 41 by a dimension equal to the diameter of the wirerod, and the bottom surface of the guide groove 43 exists on the firstreference surface E-E. The chromium coatings of the surfaces of theguide grooves 37 and 43 facilitate the sliding of the wire rods 25 andprevent the abrasion of the guide grooves 37 and 43.

A flat second surface 42 is formed on the upper surface of the thinportion 202 of the fixed block 40, the second surface 42 is parallel tothe first surface 41 and forms the second reference surface F-F. Asshown in FIG. 33 under magnitude, an almost semicircular shaping surface44 is formed at the inner ends of the first surface 41 and the secondsurface 42. The center point of the almost circular shaping surface 44is coincident with the rotation axis L-L, and the shaping surface 44 isextended in parallel to the rotation axis L-L along the rotation axisL-L. The diameter of the almost semicircular shaping surface 44 is d1,and the almost semicircular surface of the shaping surface 44 isexpanded toward the rotation surface 36. The diameter d1 is equal to thebend diameter of the first turn part 15C and the second turn part 15D ofeach of the winding members 15 constituting the winding assembly 10. Theshaping surface 44 is formed between the first reference surface E-E onwhich the bottom surface of the guide groove 43 exists and the secondreference surface F-F which the second surface forms. Accordingly, theinterval between the first reference surface E-E and the secondreference surface F-F is also equal to the diameter d1, and is equal tothe bend diameter of the first turn part 15C and the second turn part15D of each of the winding members 15 constituting the winding assembly10.

An arc surface 38 opposite to the shaping surface 44 is formed at theinner end part of the rotation surface 36 of the rotation block 33, andthis is opposite to the shaping surface 44 through a gap 45 smaller thanthe diameter of the wire rod. This arc surface 38 is provided so as toprevent the rotation surface 36 from coming in contact with the shapingsurface 44.

An auxiliary block 50 includes a pair of the auxiliary blocks 50A and50B. These auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B are arranged side by side underthe thin portion 202 of the fixed block 40. These auxiliary blocks 50Aand 50B have the same outer size, and have plane auxiliary surfaces 51having the same size. The auxiliary surface 51 of the auxiliary block50A is arranged so that the respective auxiliary surfaces 51 come incontact with the first surface 41 as shown in FIG. 33. The first surface51 of the auxiliary block 50A is opposite to the six guide grooves 43positioned at the depth side of the paper plane in FIG. 33 among thetwelve guide grooves 43 of the first surface 41, and hinders the sixwire rods supplied to the guide grooves from separating from theopposite guide grooves 43. The auxiliary block 50B is opposite to thesix guide grooves 43 at this side, and hinders the six wire rods 25supplied to these guide grooves 43 from separating from the oppositeguide grooves 43. The inclined surface 52 is formed at the front endfaces of the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B on the rotation axis L-L side,and avoids collision of the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B against thelead wire 17 a of embodiment 2 and the leading end part 18 c ofembodiment 4.

Subsequently, the whole structure of the manufacturing apparatus 20 willbe described with reference to FIGS. 34, 35, 35 a and 36. FIG. 34 is aplan view showing the whole structure of the manufacturing apparatus 20except a cutting mechanism 70 and a selected wire rod push-out mechanism75, FIG. 35 is a front view of the whole structure, FIG. 35 a is a frontview of wire rod feed mechanisms 60A and 60B hidden in FIG. 35, FIG. 36is a side view showing the whole structure of the manufacturingapparatus 20, and FIG. 36 a is a front view of the tip of a pusher 65 ofthe selected wire rod push-out mechanism.

This embodiment 5 includes the rotation block 33, the fixed block 40,the pair of auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B constituting the auxiliaryblock 50, feed mechanisms 53A and 53B for the auxiliary blocks 50A and50B, the pair of wire rod feed mechanisms 60A and 60B constituting thewire rod feed mechanism 60, a pair of cutting mechanisms 70A and 70Bconstituting the cutting mechanism 70, and a pair of selected wire rodpush-out mechanisms 75A and 75B constituting the selected wire rodpush-out mechanism 75, and can deal with any manufacturing methods ofembodiments 1 to 4. In the manufacturing apparatus 20 according to thisembodiment 5, the respective parts, mechanisms and drive mechanisms areassembled on a common base stand 210.

The rotator 31, together with its rotation shaft 211, is disposed abovethe base stand 210. The axis of this rotation shaft 211 is the rotationaxis L-L. Above the base stand 210, a horizontal movement stand 212 forthe rotation block 33 is mounted on support bodies 213 a and 213 b to becapable of horizontally moving. This horizontal movement stand 212 isdriven in a forward and backward direction along the rotation axis L-Lby a forward and backward movement cylinder 215 fixed on the base stand210. A vertical movement cylinder 217 for the rotation block 33 ismounted on the horizontal movement stand 212, and a mount stand 218 isdriven in the vertical direction by the vertical movement cylinder 217.The movement of the mount stand 218 in the vertical direction is guidedby support bodies 219 a to 219 d. Guide plates 214 a and 214 bvertically suspended from the mount stand 218 are guided by verticalplates 216 a and 216 b fixed to the horizontal movement stand 212through the support bodies 219 a to 219 d. A bearing body structure 220is fixed on the mount stand 218, and the rotation shaft 211 is rotatablysupported around the rotation axis L-L through three bearings 220 a, 220b and 220 c by this bearing body structure 220. A rotating motor 221 isattached on the mount stand 218, and the rotator 31 is rotation-drivenaround the rotation axis L-L by this rotating motor 221. The rotationdrive mechanism of the rotator 31 and the rotation block 33 by thisrotating motor 221 constitutes the rotation drive mechanism 32 of FIG.4( b).

A coupling body 34 is fixed to the rotator 31. A forward and backwardmovement bar 223 passes through the coupling body 34 and the moving body31 so as to be movable along the rotation axis L-L. A forward andbackward movement cam 224 is fixed to the bearing body structure 217,and the forward and backward movement bar 223 is always pressed to a camsurface 224 a of the forward and backward movement cam 224 by a spring225. The rotation block 33 is fixed to an end upper surface of theforward and backward movement bar 223, and projects from a guide hole 34a formed in the coupling body 34. The mechanism for moving the rotationblock 33 backward and forward along the rotation axis L-L by the forwardand backward movement cam 224 constitutes the reciprocal movementmechanism 39 shown in FIG. 4( a).

The forward and backward movement cylinder 215 horizontally moves thehorizontal movement stand 212 and the mount stand 218 along the rotationaxis L-L, and gives the forward movement FD and the backward movement BKto the rotation block 33. The switching of the forward movement FD andthe backward movement BK is performed by switching the movementdirection of the piston of the forward and backward movement cylinder215. The vertical movement cylinder 217 moves the mount stand 218 in thevertical direction, and gives a first upward movement UP1, a downwardmovement DN, and a second upward movement UP2 to the rotation block 33.The switching of the upward movements UP1 and UP2 and the downwardmovement DN is performed by switching the movement direction of thepiston of the vertical movement cylinder 217. The rotator 31, thecoupling body 34, and the forward and backward movement bar 223 arerotated around the rotation axis L-L by the rotating motor 221, and therotations are given to the rotation block 33 through the forward andbackward movement bar 223. As a result, forward rotation driving FR inan arrow A1 direction around the rotation axis L-L and counter rotationdriving CR in an arrow A2 direction are given to the rotation block 33.The forward rotation driving FR and the counter rotation driving CR canbe changed by switching the rotation direction of the rotating motor221. Since the forward and backward movement bar 223 is pressed to thecam surface 224 a of the forward and backward movement cam 224 whilerotating together with the rotator 31, the coupling body 34 and therotation block 33, in synchronization with the rotation, the rotationblock 33 is slightly moved backward and forward along the rotation axisL-L by the cam surface 224 a. This cam surface 224 a gives slightforward movement FD0 in an arrow B1 direction and slight backwardmovement BK0 in an arrow B2 direction to the rotation block 33.

A fixing stand 200 is fixed on the base stand 210, and the fixed block40 is fixed to the upper end of the fixing stand 200. The pair ofauxiliary blocks 50A and 50B constituting the auxiliary block 50 and themovement mechanisms 53A and 53B for the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B aredisposed under the fixed block 40. The auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B aresupported on a pair of movement plates 231 constituting the movementmechanisms 53A and 53B shown in FIG. 35. These movement plates 231 canbe moved on a pair of guide rails 232 in a direction inclined by aninclination angle α with respect to the paper plane, and by themovement, the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B can be moved in parallel tothe paper plane and the supply lines SL. A vertical plate 233 is fixedto each of the movement plates 231, the respective vertical plates 233are fitted in a pair of guide grooves 235 of a guide plate 234 fixed tothe base stand 210, and its movement is guided. As shown in FIG. 36,movement blocks 236 of the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B are respectivelyattached to the respective vertical plates 233, and the respectivemovement blocks 236 are screwed to a pair of screw rods 238 rotated by apair of auxiliary block drive motors 237 as shown in FIG. 36. Therespective movement blocks 236 are moved in the direction of the pair ofscrew rods 238 in accordance with the rotation of the respective drivemotors 237, and the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B are moved. The movementdirection of the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B can be switched byswitching the rotation direction of the drive motor 237, and movement inan arrow D1 direction or a D2 direction is performed.

As shown in FIG. 34, the pair of wire rod feed mechanisms 60A and 60Bconstituting the wire rod feed mechanism 60 are disposed behind thefixed block 40. Since the feed mechanisms 60A and 60B are not shown inthe front view of FIG. 35 since they are hidden by the auxiliary blocks50A and 50B and the movement mechanisms 53A and 53B, the front view ofthe feed mechanisms 60A and 60B is taken in FIG. 35 a and is shown. Eachof the feed mechanisms 60A and 60B is such that a feed block 61 havingan urethane rubber layer at its lower surface and a feed block 62 madeof iron are made to face each other in the vertical direction. Therespective feed blocks 61 are fixed to the upper ends of a pair ofsupport frames 260, and the respective feed blocks 62 are disposed atthe lower parts. The respective feed blocks 62 are fixed on pistons of apair of press cylinders 261, and the respective press cylinders 261 areattached to the lower parts of the support frames 260. The mechanism topress the feed blocks 62 to the urethane rubber surfaces of the feedblocks 61 by the respective press cylinders 261 constitutes the pressmechanism 63 of FIG. 4( b).

As shown in FIG. 35 a, the respective support frames 260 are supportedon a pair of movement plates 262. These movement plates 262 can move ona pair of guide rails 263 in a direction of an inclination angle α withrespect to the paper plane, and the feed mechanisms 60A and 60B can bemoved by the movement in parallel to the supply lines SL of wire rods.Vertical plates 264 are fixed to the respective movement plates 262, thevertical plates 264 are fitted in a pair of guide grooves 266 providedin a guide plate 265 fixed to the base stand 210, and the movement isguided. Movement blocks 267 of the feed mechanisms 60A and 60B areattached to the respective vertical plates 264, and as shown in FIG. 36,the movement blocks 267 are screwed to a pair of screw rods 269 rotatedby a pair of feed mechanism drive motors 268. The pair of movementblocks 267 are moved in the direction of the respective screw rods 269according to the rotation of the pair of drive motors 268, and the feedmechanisms 60A and 60B are moved. The switching of the movementdirections C1 and C2 of the feed mechanisms 60A and 60B can be made byswitching the rotation directions of the respective drive motors 268.The mechanism to move the wire rod feed mechanisms 60A and 60B by thedrive motor 268 constitutes the feed drive mechanism 65 of FIG. 4( b).

The cutting mechanism 70 is disposed above the supply lines SL of thewire rods, and this cutting mechanism 70 includes the pair of cuttingmechanisms 70A and 70B. Besides, the selected wire rod push-outmechanism 75 is disposed behind and above the wire rod feed mechanisms60A and 60B, and the selected wire rod push-out mechanism 75 alsoincludes the pair of selected wire rod push-out mechanisms 75A and 75B.Since the cutting mechanism 70 and the selected wire rod push-outmechanism 75 give the same movement in the extension direction of thetwelve wire rods 25 and the direction crossing the twelve wire rods 25at right angles, they are attached to a common movement mechanism 270.

The common movement mechanism 270 includes a guide bar 271, a pair ofguide rails 272 a and 272 b attached to the lower part of the guide bar271, a pair of movement blocks 273 a and 273 b moving along therespective guide rails 272, and a pair of screw rods 274 a and 274 bscrewed to the movement blocks 273 a and 273 b. Both the pair of guiderails 272 a and 272 b and the pair of screw rods 274 a and 274 b areplaced in parallel to the supply lines SL of the wire rods 25. Therespective screw rods 274 a and 274 b are rotated by drive motors 276 aand 276 b through belts 275 a and 275 b. The pair of movement blocks 273a and 273 b are moved in parallel to the supply lines SL of the wirerods 25 along the respective screw rods 274 a and 274 b by the rotationof the drive motors 276 a and 276 b.

Support stands 277 a and 277 b are respectively attached to the pair ofmovement blocks 273 a and 273 b. A pair of guide rails 278 a and 278 bare attached to the one support stand 277 a, and an attachment plate 280a is attached to be movable in the direction orthogonal to the supplylines SL through the guide rails 278 a and 278 b. A pair of guide rails278 c and 278 d are attached to the other support stand 277 b, and anattachment plate 280 b is attached to be movable in the directionorthogonal to the supply lines SL through these guide rails 278 c and278 d.

A drive motor 281 a and a screw rod 282 a driven through a pulley by thedrive motor 281 a are attached to the support stand 277 a, and theattachment plate 280 a is moved in the direction crossing the supplylines SL at right angles through a movement block 283 a screwed to thisscrew rod 282 a. Similarly, a drive motor 281 b and a screw rod 282 bdriven through a pulley by this drive motor 281 b are attached to thesupport stand 277 b, and the attachment plate 280 b is moved in thedirection crossing the supply lines SL at right angles through amovement block 283 b screwed to this screw rod 282 b.

In embodiment 5, since the cutting mechanism 70 and the selected wirerod push-out mechanism 75 include the pair of cutting mechanisms 70A and70B and the pair of selected wire rod push-out mechanisms 75A and 75Brespectively arranged side by side in the direction crossing the supplylines SL at right angles, the cutting mechanism 70A and the selectedwire rod push-out mechanism 75A are attached to the one attachment plate280 a, and the cutting mechanism 70B and the selected wire rod push-outmechanism 75B are attached to the other attachment plate 280 b.

Each of the cutting mechanisms 70A and 70B includes a cutter 71 and acylinder 73 to move the cutter upward and downward at high speed. Therespective cutters 71 are moved by the drive motor 276 in parallel tothe supply lines SL, and are moved to upper places of the front ends ofthe wire rod feed mechanisms 60A and 60B in parallel to the supply linesSL. In addition, they are moved by the drive motor 281 in the directioncrossing the supply lines SL at right angles, and are moved to upperplaces of the selected wire rods 25. After the cutters 71 complete suchmovement, the cutters 71 are driven downward by the cylinder 73 at highspeed, and cut the selected wire rods 25.

Similarly, the respective selected wire rod push-out mechanisms 75A and75B include pushers 76 and cylinders 77 to move the pushers 76 upwardand downward at high speed. The respective pushers 76, together with thecutters 71, are moved by the drive motor 274 in parallel to the supplylines SL, and, together with the cutters 71, are moved by the drivemotor 281 in the direction crossing the supply lines SL at right angles,so that they are moved to upper places of the selected wire rods 25 tobe cut by the cutters 71. After the pushers 76 complete such movement,the pushers 76 are driven downward at high speed by the cylinder 77, andpush out the selected wire rods 25.

Incidentally, a stocker 27 for storing the twelve wire rods 25 isdisposed behind the wire rod feed mechanisms 60A and 60B. Guide grooves28 to guide the respective wire rods 25 in parallel to the supply linesSL are formed in this stocker 27. The pushers 76 of the selectedpush-out mechanisms 75A and 75B are pressed to the selected wire rods atthe upper part of this stocker 27, and push out them to the rotationsurface 36.

In the case where the manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment 5 isused for the manufacturing method of embodiment 1, the auxiliary blocks50A and 50B constituting the auxiliary block 50 are fixed so as not tomove from the original positions, and the wire rod feed mechanisms 60Aand 60B constituting the wire rod feed mechanism 60 are made to beintegrally moved. Besides, the cutting mechanism 70 is not used, and theselected wire rod push-out mechanism 75 is not also used. In this case,the twelve wire rods 25 are fed onto the rotation surface 36 at the wirerod feed steps S1 and S3 by the wire rod feed mechanism 60, the forwardrotation operation FR is given to the rotation block 33 by the drivemotor 221 at the wire rod turn steps S2 and S4, the twelve wire rods 25are simultaneously bent by almost 180 degrees with respect to therotation axis L-L by the forward rotation operation FR of the rotationsurface 36, and the first and the second straight parts 15A and 15B andthe first and the second turn parts 15C and 15D are formed. Inaccordance with the forward rotation operation FR of this rotation block33 and the subsequent counter rotation operation CR, the slight forwardmovement FD0 and the slight backward movement BK0 are given to therotation block 33 by the forward and backward movement cam 224, and theshapes of the turn parts 15C and 15D are adjusted.

In the case where the manufacturing apparatus of embodiment 5 is usedfor the manufacturing method of embodiment 2, at the lead wire formationpreparation step SLP, the cutting mechanism 70A or the cutting mechanism70B is moved to the upper place of the selected wire rod 25, and cutsthe selected wire rod 25. At the lead wire additional formation turnstep STL, the auxiliary blocks 50A and 50B are integrally moved to theretract position by the movement mechanisms 53A and 53B. Further, whenthe avoidance return movement AR of the rotation block 33 is given, thefirst upward movement UP1, the backward movement BK, the downwardmovement DN, the forward movement FD, and the second upward movement UP2are given by the horizontal movement cylinder 215 and the verticalmovement cylinder 217, and the counter rotation movement CR is given bythe drive motor 221.

In the case where the manufacturing apparatus of embodiment 5 is usedfor the manufacturing method of embodiment 3, in addition to the caseused for the manufacturing method of embodiment 2, the selected wire rodpush-out mechanisms 75A and 75B, which are moved together with thecutting mechanisms 70A and 70B, are used, and the cut wire rod 25 isselected and is pushed out to the rotation surface 36.

In the case where the manufacturing apparatus of embodiment 5 is usedfor the manufacturing method of embodiment 4, the wire rod feedmechanisms 60A and 60B are operated independently of each other, andwhen the leading end parts 18 a and 18 b are formed at the winding startend parts, the six wire rods 25-1 to 25-6 are previously fed to therotation surface 36, and then, the six wire rods 25-7 to 25-12 are fedto the rotation surface 36. In addition, when the leading end parts 18 cand 18 d are formed at the winding finish end parts, only the auxiliaryblock 50A is moved to the retract position.

As stated above, according to the manufacturing apparatus 20 ofembodiment 5, any of the manufacturing methods of the winding assembliesaccording to embodiments 1 to 4 can be handled and the effectivemanufacture of the winding assembly can be performed.

Especially, according to the manufacturing apparatus of the windingassembly of the rotating electrical machine according to embodiment 5,the plate-like winding core of the prior art is not used, and the pluralwinding members 15 can be simultaneously wound while the adjustment ofthe lengths of the first and the second straight parts 15A and 15B iseasily performed. Besides, by the use of the rotation block 33 and thefixed block 40, since more wire rods can be simultaneously bent ascompared with the prior invention, the weaving step of the priorinvention is made unnecessary, or the number of times of weaving can bedecreased.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to this invention can be applied formanufacturing windings of various rotating electrical machines, and iseffectively used for manufacturing, for example, a stator winding of avehicle AC generator. Besides, the manufacturing apparatus for thewinding assembly of the rotating electrical machine according to thisinvention can also be applied for manufacturing winding assemblies ofvarious rotating electrical machines, and can be effectively used formanufacturing, for example, a stator winding of a vehicle AC generator.

1. A manufacturing method for a winding assembly of a rotatingelectrical machine, comprising a winding step of winding respectivewinding members so that each of the plural winding members has a firststraight part, a second straight part, a first turn part connecting thefirst straight part and the second straight part at their one sides, anda second turn part connecting the first straight part and the secondstraight part at the other sides, wherein at the winding step, arotation block and a fixed block are used, the rotation block includes arotation surface rotatable around a rotation axis, the fixed blockincludes a first and a second surfaces opposite to each other and ashaping surface formed between end parts of the first surface and thesecond surface, and the shaping surface is made to have a substantialsemicircular shape with the rotation axis as a center and is extended ina direction of the rotation axis, and the winding step includes a firstand a second wire rod feed steps, and a first and a second wire rod turnsteps, at the first and the second wire rod feed steps, plural wire rodsare supplied such that in a state where they are arranged substantiallyin parallel to each other, the wire rods extend from the first surfaceof the fixed block onto the rotation surface of the rotation block andproject by a predetermined dimension from the rotation axis, andconsequently, lengths of the first and the second straight parts arerespectively set, and at the first and the second wire rod turn steps,the plural wire rods on the rotation surface of the rotation block,together with the rotation block, are rotated, so that the plural wirerods are simultaneously bent along the shaping surface, and the firstand the second turn parts are respectively formed.
 2. The manufacturingmethod for the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the first wire rod feed step, the firstwire rod turn step, the second wire rod feed step, and the second wirerod turn step are carried out in this order in the winding step, lengthof the first straight part is set for the plural wire rods by the firstwire rod feed step, the first turn part is formed for the plural wirerods by the first wire rod turn step, length of the second straight partis set for the plural wire rods by the second wire rod feed step, andthe second turn part is formed for the plural wire rods by the secondwire rod turn step.
 3. The manufacturing method for the winding assemblyof the rotating electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein a wirerod feed mechanism is further used, and at the first and the second wirerod feed steps, the wire rod feed mechanism simultaneously supplies theplural wire rods in a state where they are arranged substantially inparallel to each other, and the wire rod feed mechanism nips and holdsthe plural wire rods at the first and the second wire rod turn steps. 4.The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to claim 1, wherein at the first and thesecond wire rod turn steps, the rotation block simultaneously bends theplural wire rods along the shaping surface by a first rotation movementof rotation in a predetermined direction around the rotation axis fromits original position.
 5. The manufacturing method for the windingassembly of the rotating electrical machine according to claim 4,wherein the rotation surface of the rotation block presses the pluralwire rods to the second surface of the fixed block at an end of thefirst rotation movement, and the plural wire rods are bent bysubstantially 180 degrees with respect to the rotation axis.
 6. Themanufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotating electricalmachine according to claim 4, wherein after the first rotation movement,the rotation block performs a second rotation movement in a directionopposite to the first rotation movement, and is returned to the originalposition.
 7. The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of therotating electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliaryblock is further used, the auxiliary block faces the first surface ofthe fixed block at at least the first and the second turn steps andprevents the plural wire rods from outgoing from the first surface ofthe fixed block in accordance with rotation of the rotation block. 8.The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary blockfaces the first surface of the fixed block also at the first and thesecond wire rod feed steps, and the plural wire rods are supplied frombetween the first surface of the fixed block and the auxiliary block tothe rotation surface of the rotation block.
 9. The manufacturing methodfor the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machine according toclaim 1, wherein a deformation step of deforming, among the pluralwinding members, a first and a second winding members in which the firststraight part and the second straight part cross each other at theirmidpoints is carried out after the winding step, at the deformationstep, first end parts of the first straight parts of the first and thesecond winding members and first end parts of the second straight partsof those are deformed in directions opposite to each other, second endparts of the second straight parts of the first and the second windingmember and second end parts of the first straight parts of those aredeformed in directions opposite to each other, a first parallel straightpart is formed at each of the first straight parts of the first and thesecond winding members, and a second parallel straight part is formed ateach of the second straight parts of those.
 10. The manufacturing methodfor the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machine according toclaim 9, wherein at the deformation step, a winding combination in whichthe first and the second winding members are combined is formed, and inthe winding combination, the second parallel straight part of the secondwinding member is overlapped on the first parallel straight part of thefirst winding member, and the first parallel straight part of the secondwinding member is overlapped under the second parallel straight part ofthe first winding member.
 11. The manufacturing method for the windingassembly of the rotating electrical machine according to claim 10,wherein an insertion step of inserting the winding combination intoslots of an iron core is further carried out after the deformation step,and at this insertion step, the winding combination is combined andinserted such that among the plural slots formed at a predeterminedpitch on the iron core, at a predetermined slot, the first parallelstraight part of the first winding member is positioned at a firstlayer, and the second parallel straight part of the second windingmember is positioned at a second layer, and at a slot spaced from thepredetermined slot by a predetermined number of slots, the firstparallel straight part of the second winding is positioned at the firstlayer, and the second parallel straight part of the first winding memberis positioned at the second layer.
 12. The manufacturing method for thewinding assembly of the rotating electrical machine according to claim9, wherein a press step of pressing the first and the second windingmembers so that a first plane on which each of the first straight partsis positioned and a second plane on which each of the second straightparts is position approach each other.
 13. A manufacturing method for awinding assembly of a rotating electrical machine, comprising a windingstep of winding respective winding members so that each of the pluralwinding members has a first straight part, a second straight part, afirst turn part connecting the first straight part and the secondstraight part at their one sides, and a second turn part connecting thefirst straight part and the second straight part at the other sides,wherein at the winding step, a rotation block and a fixed block areused, the rotation block includes a rotation surface rotatable around arotation axis, the fixed block includes a first and a second surfacesopposite to each other and a shaping surface formed between end parts ofthe first surface and the second surface, and the shaping surface ismade to have a substantial semicircular shape with the rotation axis asa center and is extended in a direction of the rotation axis, and thewinding step includes a first and a second wire rod feed steps, and afirst and a second wire rod turn steps, at the first and the second wirerod feed steps, plural wire rods are supplied such that in a state wherethe wire rods are arranged substantially in parallel to each other, thewire rods extend along a supply line inclined by a predetermined angle αwith respect to the rotation axis from the first surface of the fixedblock onto the rotation surface of the rotation block and project by apredetermined dimension from the rotation axis, and consequently,lengths of the first and the second straight parts are respectively set,and at the first and the second wire rod turn steps, the plural wirerods on the rotation surface of the rotation block, together with therotation block, are rotated, so that the plural wire rods aresimultaneously bent along the shaping surface, and the first and thesecond turn parts are respectively formed.
 14. The manufacturing methodfor the winding assembly of the rotating electrical machine according toclaim 13, wherein the predetermined angle α is substantially 60 degrees.15. The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to claim 13, wherein the rotation block isdisposed at one side of a rotator, and as a result that the plural wirerods are simultaneously bent at the first and the second wire rod turnsteps, the plural wire rods go away from the rotator.
 16. Themanufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotating electricalmachine according to claim 13, wherein a deformation step of deforming,among the plural winding members, a first and a second winding membersin which the first straight part and the second straight part cross eachother at their midpoints is carried out after the winding step, at thedeformation step, first end parts of the first straight parts of thefirst and the second winding members and first end parts of the secondstraight parts of those are deformed in directions opposite to eachother, second end parts of the second straight parts of the first andthe second winding member and second end parts of the first straightparts of those are deformed in directions opposite to each other, afirst parallel straight part is formed at each of the first straightparts of the first and the second winding members, and a second parallelstraight part is formed at each of the second straight parts of those.17. The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to claim 16, wherein at the deformationstep, a winding combination in which the first and the second windingmembers are combined is formed, and in the winding combination, thesecond parallel straight part of the second winding member is overlappedon the first parallel straight part of the first winding member, and thefirst parallel straight part of the second winding member is overlappedunder the second parallel straight part of the first winding member. 18.The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of the rotatingelectrical machine according to claim 17, wherein an insertion step ofinserting the winding combination into slots of an iron core is furthercarried out after the deformation step, and at this insertion step, thewinding combination is combined and inserted such that among the pluralslots formed at a predetermined pitch on the iron core, at apredetermined slot, the first parallel straight part of the firstwinding member is positioned at a first layer, and the second parallelstraight part of the second winding member is positioned at a secondlayer, and at a slot spaced from the predetermined slot by apredetermined number of slots, the first parallel straight part of thesecond winding is positioned at the first layer, and the second parallelstraight part of the first winding member is positioned at the secondlayer.
 19. The manufacturing method for the winding assembly of therotating electrical machine according to claim 16, wherein a press stepof pressing the first and the second winding members so that a firstplane on which each of the first straight parts is positioned and asecond plane on which each of the second straight parts is positionapproach each other.